Methods of using anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies

ABSTRACT

The invention features methods for preventing or treating CGRP associated disorders such as vasomotor symptoms, including headaches (e.g., migraine, cluster headache, and tension headache) and hot flushes, by administering an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody. Antagonist antibody G1 and antibodies derived from G1 directed to CGRP are also described.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/093,638, filed May 14, 2008, issued as U.S. Pat. No.8,007,794, on Aug. 30, 2011, which is a national stage of PCTInternational Application No. PCT/IB2006/003181, filed Nov. 2, 2006,which claim priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/736,623, filed Nov. 14, 2005, all of which are incorporated herein intheir entireties by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the use of anti-CGRP antagonistantibodies for the prevention, amelioration, or treatment of vasomotorsymptoms, such as CGRP related headaches (e.g., migraine) and hotflushes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) is a 37 amino acid neuropeptide,which belongs to a family of peptides that includes calcitonin,adrenomedullin and amylin. In humans, two forms of CGRP (α-CGRP andβ-CGRP) exist and have similar activities. They vary by three aminoacids and exhibit differential distribution. At least two CGRP receptorsubtypes may also account for differential activities. CGRP is aneurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and has been shown to bea potent vasodilator in the periphery, where CGRP-containing neurons areclosely associated with blood vessels. CGRP-mediated vasodilatation isalso associated with neurogenic inflammation, as part of a cascade ofevents that results in extravasation of plasma and vasodilation of themicrovasculature and is present in migraine.

CGRP has been noted for its possible connection to vasomotor symptoms(Wyon et al. Scand. J. Urol. Nephrol. 35: 92-96 (2001); Wyon et al.Menopause 7(1):25-30 (2000)). Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), such as hotflushes and night sweats, are the most common symptoms associated withmenopause, occurring in 60% to 80% of all women following natural orsurgically-induced menopause. Hot flushes are likely to be an adaptiveresponse of the central nervous system (CNS) to declining sex steroids(Freedman Am. J. Human Biol. 13:453-464 (2001)). To date, the mosteffective therapies for flushes are hormone-based treatments, includingestrogens and/or some progestins. Hormonal treatments can be effectivefor alleviating flushes, but are not appropriate for all women.Psychological and emotional symptoms observed, such as nervousness,fatigue, irritability, insomnia, depression, memory loss, headache,anxiety, nervousness or inability to concentrate are considered to becaused by the sleep deprivation following hot flush and night sweats(Kramer et al., In: Murphy et al., 3.sup.rd Symposium on Recent Advancesin Urological Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment-Proceedings, Paris, France:SCI: 3-7 (1992)).

Men also experience hot flushes following steroid hormone (androgen)withdrawal. This is true in cases of age-associated androgen decline(Katovich, et al., Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology &Medicine, 1990, 193(2): 129-35) as well as in extreme cases of hormonedeprivation associated with treatments for prostate cancer (Berendsen,et al., European Journal of Pharmacology, 2001, 419(1): 47-54). As manyas one-third of these patients will experience persistent and frequentsymptoms severe enough to cause significant discomfort andinconvenience.

CGRP is a potent vasodilator that has been implicated in the pathologyof other vasomotor symptoms, such as all forms of vascular headache,including migraines (with or without aura) and cluster headache. Durham,N. Engl. J. Med. 350:1073-1075, 2004. The serum levels of CGRP in theexternal jugular vein are elevated in patients during migraine headache.Goadsby et al., Ann. Neurol. 28:183-7, 1990. Intravenous administrationof human α-CGRP induced headache and migraine in patients suffering frommigraine without aura, suggesting that CGRP has a causative role inmigraine. Lassen et al., Cephalalgia 22:54-61, 2002.

Possible CGRP involvement in migraine has been the basis for thedevelopment and testing of a number of compounds that inhibit release ofCGRP (e.g., sumatriptan), antagonize at the CGRP receptor (e.g.,dipeptide derivative BIBN4096BS (Boerhringer Ingelheim); CGRP (8-37)),or interact with one or more of receptor-associated proteins, such as,receptor activity membrane protein (RAMP) or receptor component protein(RCP), both of which affect binding of CGRP to its receptors. Brain, S.et al., Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 23:51-53, 2002. Alpha-2adrenoceptor subtypes and adenosine A1 receptors also control (inhibit)CGRP release and trigeminal activation (Goadsby et al., Brain125:1392-401, 2002). The adenosine A1 receptor agonist GR79236(metrafadil), which has been shown to inhibit neurogenic vasodilationand trigeminal nociception in humans, may also have anti-migraineactivity (Arulmani et al., Cephalalgia 25:1082-1090, 2005; Giffin etal., Cephalalgia 23:287-292, 2003.)

Confounding this theory is the observation that treatment with compoundsthat exclusively inhibit neurogenic inflammation (e.g., tachykinin NK1receptor antagonists) or trigeminal activation (e.g., 5HT_(1D) receptoragonists) have been shown to be relatively ineffective as acutetreatments for migraine, leading some investigators to question whetherinhibiting release of CGRP is the primary mechanism of action ofeffective anti-migraine treatments. Arulmani et al., Eur. J. Pharmacol.500:315-330, 2004.

Migraine is a complex, common neurological condition that ischaracterized by severe, episodic attacks of headache and associatedfeatures, which may include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light,sound or movement. In some patients, the headache is preceded oraccompanied by an aura. The headache pain may be severe and may also beunilateral in certain patients.

Migraine attacks are disruptive to daily life. In US and Western Europe,the overall prevalence of migraine sufferers is 11% of the generalpopulation (6% males; 15-18% females). Furthermore, the median frequencyof attacks in an individual is 1.5/month. While there are a number oftreatments available to alleviate or reduce symptoms, preventive therapyis recommended for those patients having more than 3-4 attacks ofmigraine per month. Goadsby et al. New Engl. J. Med. 346(4): 257-275,2002.

The variety of pharmacologic interventions that have been used to treatmigraine and the variability in responses among patients are a testamentto the diverse nature of this disorder. Thus, such relativelynon-selective drugs as ergot alkaloids (e.g., ergotamine,dihydroergotamine, methysergide), which exhibit serotonergic, as well asadrenergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic activity, have been used forover eighty years to treat migraine. Other treatments include opiates(e.g., oxycodone) and β-adrenergic antagonists (e.g., propranolol). Somepatients, usually those with milder symptoms, are able to control theirsymptoms with non-prescription remedies such as one or morenon-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), such as a combinationof aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine (e.g., Excedrin® Migraine).

More recently, some migraine patients have been treated with topiramate,an anticonvulsant that blocks voltage-dependent sodium channels andcertain glutamate receptors (AMPA-kainate), potentiates GABA-A receptoractivity, and blocks carbonic anhydrase. The relatively recent successof serotonin 5HT-1B/1D and/or 5HT-1a receptor agonists, such assumatriptan, in some patients has led researchers to propose aserotonergic etiology of the disorder. Unfortunately, while somepatients respond well to this treatment, others are relatively resistantto its effects.

It has been postulated that a dysfunction of an ion channel in theaminergic brainstem nuclei underlies the disorder, however, the precisepathophysiology of migraine is not yet well understood. One form ofmigraine, familial hemiplagic migraine, has been shown to associatedwith missense mutations in the al subunit of the voltage-gated P/Q-typecalcium channel, and it is thought likely that other ion-channelmutations will also be found in other populations of patients. Whiledilation of blood vessels is associated with and exacerbates the painsymptoms of migraine, such neurovascular events are now thought to be aresult of, rather than causative of, the condition. Overall, dysfunctionof brainstem pathways modulating sensory input is considered to be aunifying feature of migraine. Goadsby, P. J. et al., New Engl. J. Med.346(4): 257-275, 2002.

Throughout this application various publications (including patents andpatent applications) are referenced. The disclosures of thesepublications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed herein concerns anti-CGRP antagonist antibodiesand methods of using anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies for treating orpreventing vasomotor symptoms, such as headaches, such as migraine withor without aura, hemiplegic migraine, cluster headaches, migrainousneuralgia, chronic headaches, tension headaches, and headaches resultingfrom other medical conditions (such as infection or increased pressurein the skull due to a tumor). Other vasomotor symptoms include hotflushes.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for treating orpreventing at least one vasomotor symptom in an individual comprisingadministering to the individual an effective amount of an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for treating orpreventing headache (e.g., migraine and cluster headache) in anindividual comprising administering to the individual an effectiveamount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method for ameliorating,controlling, reducing incidence of, or delaying the development orprogression of headache (e.g., migraine and cluster headache) in anindividual comprising administering to the individual an effectiveamount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody.

In a further embodiment, the invention provides methods forameliorating, controlling, reducing incidence of, or delaying thedevelopment or progression of headache (e.g., migraine and clusterheadache) in an individual comprising administering to the individual aneffective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody in combination withat least one additional agent useful for treating headache. Suchadditional agents include 5-HT1-like agonists (and agonists acting atother 5-HT1 sites), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Examples of 5-HT1 agonists that can be used on combination with ananti-CGRP antibody include a class of compounds known as triptans, suchas sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, eletriptan,almotriptan, and frovatriptan. Ergot alkaloids and related compounds arealso known to have 5-HT agonist activity and have been used to treatheadache such as migraine. Included among these compounds are ergotaminetartrate, ergonovine maleate, and ergoloid mesylates (e.g.,dihydroergocornine, dihydroergocristine, dihydroergocryptine, anddihydroergotamine mesylate (DHE 45)).

Examples of NSAIDs that can be used in combination with an anti-CGRPantibody include naproxen, flurbiprofen, ketoprofen, oxaprozin,etodolac, indomethacin, ketorolac, nabumetone, mefanamic acid, andpiroxican. Additional NSAIDs include cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)inhibitors. Members of this group include: celecoxib; rofecoxib;meloxicam; JTE-522; L-745,337; NS398; and pharmaceutically acceptablesalts thereof.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method for ameliorating,controlling, reducing incidence of, or delaying the development orprogression of hot flushes in an individual comprising administering tothe individual an effective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody.

In another aspect, the invention provides methods for ameliorating,controlling, reducing incidence of, or delaying the development orprogression of hot flushes in an individual comprising administering tothe individual an effective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibodyin combination with at least one additional agent useful for treatinghot flushes. Such additional agents include, but are not limited to,hormone-based treatments, including estrogens and/or progestins.

In one embodiment, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody used in any of themethods described above is any of the antibodies as described herein.

In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody recognizes ahuman CGRP. In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody bindsto both human α-CGRP and β-CGRP. In some embodiments, the anti-CGRPantagonist antibody binds human and rat CGRP. In some embodiments, theanti-CGRP antagonist antibody binds the C-terminal fragment having aminoacids 25-37 of CGRP. In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonistantibody binds a C-terminal epitope within amino acids 25-37 of CGRP.

In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is a monoclonalantibody. In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody ishumanized. In some embodiments, the antibody is human. In someembodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is antibody G1 (asdescribed herein). In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonistantibody comprises one or more CDR(s) (such as one, two, three, four,five, or, in some embodiments, all six CDRs) of antibody G1 or variantsof G1 shown in Table 6. In still other embodiments, the anti-CGRPantagonist antibody comprises the amino acid sequence of the heavy chainvariable region shown in FIG. 5 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and the amino acidsequence of the light chain variable region shown in FIG. 5 (SEQ ID NO:2).

In some embodiments, the antibody comprises a modified constant region,such as a constant region that is immunologically inert (includingpartially immunologically inert), e.g., does not trigger complementmediated lysis, does not stimulate antibody-dependent cell mediatedcytotoxicity (ADCC), does not activate microglia, or having reduced oneor more of these activities. In some embodiments, the constant region ismodified as described in Eur. J. Immunol. (1999) 29:2613-2624; PCTApplication No. PCT/GB99/01441; and/or UK Patent Application No.9809951.8. In other embodiments, the antibody comprises a human heavychain IgG2 constant region comprising the following mutations: A330P331to S330S331 (amino acid numbering with reference to the wildtype IgG2sequence). Eur. J. Immunol. (1999) 29:2613-2624. In some embodiments,the heavy chain constant region of the antibody is a human heavy chainIgG1 with any of the following mutations: 1) A327A330P331 toG327S330S331; 2) E233L234L235G236 to P233V234A235 with G236 deleted; 3)E233L234L235 to P233V234A235; 4) E233L234L235G236A327A330P331 toP233V234A235G327S330S331 with G236 deleted; 5) E233L234L235A327A330P331to P233V234A235G327S330S331; and 6) N297 to A297 or any other amino acidexcept N. In some embodiments, the heavy chain constant region of theantibody is a human heavy chain IgG4 with any of the followingmutations: E233F234L235G236 to P233V234A235 with G236 deleted;E233F234L235 to P233V234A235; and S228L235 to P228E235.

In still other embodiments, the constant region is aglycosylated forN-linked glycosylation. In some embodiments, the constant region isaglycosylated for N-linked glycosylation by mutating the oligosaccharideattachment residue (such as Asn297) and/or flanking residues that arepart of the N-glycosylation recognition sequence in the constant region.In some embodiments, the constant region is aglycosylated for N-linkedglycosylation. The constant region may be aglycosylated for N-linkedglycosylation enzymatically or by expression in a glycosylationdeficient host cell.

The binding affinity (K_(D)) of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody to CGRP(such as human α-CGRP as measured by surface plasmon resonance at anappropriate temperature, such as 25 or 37° C.) can be about 0.02 toabout 200 nM. In some embodiments, the binding affinity is any of about200 nM, about 100 nM, about 50 nM, about 10 nM, about 1 nM, about 500pM, about 100 pM, about 60 pM, about 50 pM, about 20 pM, about 15 pM,about 10 pM, about 5 pM, or about 2 pM. In some embodiments, the bindingaffinity is less than any of about 250 nM, about 200 nM, about 100 nM,about 50 nM, about 10 nM, about 1 nM, about 500 pM, about 100 pM, orabout 50 pM.

The anti-CGRP antagonist antibody may be administered prior to, duringand/or after headache. In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonistantibody is administered prior to the attack of headache (e.g., migraineand cluster headache). Administration of an anti-CGRP antagonistantibody can be by any means known in the art, including: orally,intravenously, subcutaneously, intraarterially, intramuscularly,intracardially, intraspinally, intrathoracically, intraperitoneally,intraventricularly, sublingually, transdermally, and/or via inhalation.Administration may be systemic, e.g. intravenously, or localized.

In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody may beadministered in conjunction with an another agent, such as another agentfor treating headache.

In another aspect, the invention provides use of an anti-CGRP antagonistantibody for the manufacture of a medicament for use in any of themethods described herein, for example, for treating or preventingheadache.

In another aspect, the invention provides a pharmaceutical compositionfor preventing or treating headache (e.g., migraine and clusterheadache) comprising an effective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonistantibody, in combination with one or more pharmaceutically acceptableexcipients.

In another aspect, the invention provides a kit for use in any of themethods described herein. In some embodiments, the kit comprises acontainer, a composition comprising an anti-CGRP antagonist antibodydescribed herein, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptablecarrier, and instructions for using the composition in any of themethods described herein.

The present invention also provides anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies andpolypeptides derived from antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6.Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention is an antibody G1(interchangeably termed “G1”) that is produced by expression vectorshaving ATCC Accession Nos. PTA-6866 and PTA-6867. For example, in oneembodiment is an antibody comprising a heavy chain produced by theexpression vector with ATCC Accession No. PTA-6867. In a furtherembodiment is an antibody comprising a light chain produced by theexpression vector with ATCC Accession No. PTA-6866. The amino acidsequences of the heavy chain and light chain variable regions of G1 areshown in FIG. 5. The complementarity determining region (CDR) portionsof antibody G1 (including Chothia and Kabat CDRs) are also shown in FIG.5. It is understood that reference to any part of or entire region of G1encompasses sequences produced by the expression vectors having ATCCAccession Nos. PTA-6866 and PTA-6867, and/or the sequences depicted inFIG. 5. The invention also provides antibody variants of G1 with aminoacid sequences depicted in Table 6.

In one aspect, the invention is an antibody comprising a V_(H) domainthat is at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97% at least 98%, at least 99%or 100% identical in amino acid sequence to SEQ ID NO: 1.

In another aspect, the invention is an antibody comprising a V_(L)domain that is at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%,at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, atleast 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97% at least 98%, atleast 99% or 100% identical in amino acid sequence to SEQ ID NO: 2.

In another aspect, the invention is an antibody comprising a fragment ora region of the antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6. In oneembodiment, the fragment is a light chain of the antibody G1. In anotherembodiment, the fragment is a heavy chain of the antibody G1. In yetanother embodiment, the fragment contains one or more variable regionsfrom a light chain and/or a heavy chain of the antibody G1. In yetanother embodiment, the fragment contains one or more variable regionsfrom a light chain and/or a heavy chain shown in FIG. 5. In yet anotherembodiment, the fragment contains one or more CDRs from a light chainand/or a heavy chain of the antibody G1.

In another aspect, the invention provides polypeptides (which may or maynot be an antibody) comprising a V_(H) CDR3 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:5, or a sequence that differs from SEQ ID NO: 5 by 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5amino acid substitutions. In a particular embodiment, such amino acidsubstitutions are conservative substitutions.

In another aspect, the invention provides polypeptides (which may or maynot be an antibody) comprising a V_(L) CDR3 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:8, or a sequence that differs from SEQ ID NO: 8 by 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5amino acid substitutions. In a particular embodiment, such amino acidsubstitutions are conservative substitutions.

In another aspect, the invention provides polypeptides (which may or maynot be an antibody) comprising any one or more of the following: a) oneor more CDR(s) of antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; b) CDRH3 from the heavy chain of antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6;c) CDR L3 from the light chain of antibody G1 or its variants shown inTable 6; d) three CDRs from the light chain of antibody G1 or itsvariants shown in Table 6; e) three CDRs from the heavy chain ofantibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; f) three CDRs from thelight chain and three CDRs from the heavy chain of antibody G1 or itsvariants shown in Table 6. The invention further provides polypeptides(which may or may not be an antibody) comprising any one or more of thefollowing: a) one or more (one, two, three, four, five, or six) CDR(s)derived from antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; b) a CDRderived from CDR H3 from the heavy chain of antibody G1; and/or c) a CDRderived from CDR L3 from the light chain of antibody G1. In someembodiments, the CDR is a CDR shown in FIG. 5. In some embodiments, theone or more CDRs derived from antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table6 are at least about 85%, at least about 86%, at least about 87%, atleast about 88%, at least about 89%, at least about 90%, at least about91%, at least about 92%, at least about 93%, at least about 94%, atleast about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%, at least about98%, or at least about 99% identical to at least one, at least two, atleast three, at least four, at least five, or at least six CDRs of G1 orits variants.

In some embodiments, the CDR is a Kabat CDR. In other embodiments, theCDR is a Chothia CDR. In other embodiments, the CDR is a combination ofa Kabat and a Chothia CDR (also termed “combined CDR” or “extendedCDR”). In other words, for any given embodiment containing more than oneCDR, the CDRs may be any of Kabat, Chothia, and/or combined.

In some embodiments, the polypeptide (such as an antibody) comprises theamino acid sequence of KASKXaaVXaaTYVS, wherein Xaa at position 5 is R,W, G, L, or N; and wherein Xaa at position 7 is T, A, D, G, R, S, W, orV. In some embodiments, the amino acid sequence of KASKXaaVXaaTYVS isCDR1 of an antibody light chain.

In some embodiments, the polypeptide (such as an antibody) comprises theamino acid sequence of XaaXaaSNRYXaa, wherein Xaa at position 1 is G orA; wherein Xaa at position 2 is A or H; and wherein Xaa at position 7 isL, T, I, or S. In some embodiments, the amino acid sequence ofXaaXaaSNRYXaa is CDR2 of an antibody light chain.

In some embodiments, the polypeptide (such as an antibody) comprises theamino acid sequence of EIRSXaaSDXaaXaaATXaaYAXaaAVKG, wherein Xaa atposition 5 is E, R, K, Q, or N; wherein Xaa at position 8 is A, G, N, E,H, S, L, R, C, F, Y, V, D, or P; wherein Xaa at position 9 is S, G, T,Y, C, E, L, A, P, I, N, R, V, D, or M; wherein Xaa at position 12 is Hor F; wherein Xaa at position 15 is E or D. In some embodiments, theamino acid sequence of EIRSXaaSDXaaXaaATXaaYAXaaAVKG is CDR2 of anantibody heavy chain.

In some embodiments, the polypeptide (such as an antibody) comprises theamino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein amino acid residue atposition 99 of SEQ ID NO:1 is L or is substituted by A, N, S, T, V, orR; and wherein amino acid residues at position 100 of SEQ ID NO:1 is Aor is substituted by L, R, S, V, Y, C, G, T, K, or P.

In some embodiments, the antibody of the invention is a human antibody.In other embodiments, the antibody of the invention is a humanizedantibody. In some embodiments, the antibody is monoclonal. In someembodiments, the antibody (or polypeptide) is isolated. In someembodiments, the antibody (or polypeptide) is substantially pure.

The heavy chain constant region of the antibodies may be from any typesof constant region, such as IgG, IgM, IgD, IgA, and IgE; and anyisotypes, such as IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4.

In some embodiments, the antibody comprises a modified constant regionas described herein.

In another aspect, the invention provides a polynucleotide (which may beisolated) comprising a polynucleotide encoding a fragment or a region ofthe antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6. In one embodiment, thefragment is a light chain of the antibody G1. In another embodiment, thefragment is a heavy chain of the antibody G1. In yet another embodiment,the fragment contains one or more variable regions from a light chainand/or a heavy chain of the antibody G1. In yet another embodiment, thefragment contains one or more (i.e., one, two, three, four, five, orsix) complementarity determining regions (CDRs) from a light chainand/or a heavy chain of the antibody G1.

In another aspect, the invention is a polynucleotide (which may beisolated) comprising a polynucleotide that encodes for antibody G1 orits variants shown in Table 6. In some embodiments, the polynucleotidecomprises either or both of the polynucleotides shown in SEQ ID NO:9 andSEQ ID NO:10.

In another aspect, the invention provides polynucleotides encoding anyof the antibodies (including antibody fragments) or polypeptidesdescribed herein.

In another aspect, the invention provides vectors (including expressionand cloning vectors) and host cells comprising any of the polynucleotidedisclosed herein. In some embodiments, the vector is pDb.CGRP.hFcGIhaving ATCC No. PTA-6867. In other embodiments, the vector ispEb.CGRP.hKGI having ATCC No. PTA-6866.

In another aspect, the invention is a host cell comprising apolynucleotide encoding any of the antibodies described herein.

In another aspect, the invention is a complex of CGRP bound by any ofthe antibodies or polypeptides described herein. In some embodiments,the antibody is antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6.

In another aspect, the invention is a pharmaceutical compositioncomprising an effective amount of any of the polypeptides (includingantibodies, such as an antibody comprising one or more CDRs of antibodyG1) or polynucleotides described herein, and a pharmaceuticallyacceptable excipient.

In another aspect, the invention is a method of generating antibody G1comprising culturing a host cell or progeny thereof under conditionsthat allow production of antibody G1, wherein the host cell comprises anexpression vector that encodes for antibody G1; and, in someembodiments, purifying the antibody G1. In some embodiments, theexpression vector comprises one or both of the polynucleotide sequencesshown in SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10.

In another aspect, the invention provides methods of generating any ofthe antibodies or polypeptides described herein by expressing one ormore polynucleotides encoding the antibody (which may be separatelyexpressed as a single light or heavy chain, or both a light and a heavychain are expressed from one vector) or the polypeptide in a suitablecell, generally followed by recovering and/or isolating the antibody orpolypeptides of interest.

The anti-CGRP antagonist antibody and polypeptides, and polynucleotidesencoding the antibodies and polypeptides of the present invention may beused for treating, preventing, ameliorating, controlling, or reducingincidence of diseases associated with abnormal function of CGRP, such asheadache (e.g., migraine, cluster headache, chronic headache, andtension headache) and other conditions that may be treated or preventedby antagonizing CGRP activity.

In another aspect, the invention provides kits and compositionscomprising any one or more of the compositions described herein. Thesekits, generally in suitable packaging and provided with appropriateinstructions, are useful for any of the methods described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a table showing binding affinities of 12 murine antibodies fordifferent alanine substituted human α-CGRP fragments. Binding affinitieswere measured at 25° C. using Biacore by flowing Fabs across CGRPs onthe chip. The boxed values represent the loss in affinity of alaninemutants relative to parental fragment, 25-37 (italic), except K35A,which was derived from a 19-37 parent. “a” indicates affinities for19-37 and 25-37 fragments are the mean average±standard deviation of twoindependent measurements on different sensor chips. “b” indicates theseinteractions deviated from a simple bimolecular interaction model due toa biphasic offrate, so their affinities were determined using aconformational change model. Grey-scale key: white (1.0) indicatesparental affinity; light grey (less than 0.5) indicates higher affinitythan parent; dark grey (more than 2) indicates lower affinity thanparent; and black indicates that no binding was detected.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the effect of administering CGRP 8-37 (400nmol/kg), antibody 4901 (25 mg/kg), and antibody 7D11 (25 mg/kg) on skinblood flow measured as blood cell flux after electrical pulsestimulation for 30 seconds. CGRP 8-37 was administered intravenously(iv) 3-5 min before electrical pulse stimulation. Antibodies wereadministered intraperitoneal (IP) 72 hours before electrical pulsestimulation. Each point in the graphs represents AUC of one rat treatedunder the conditions as indicated. Each line in the graphs representsaverage AUC of rats treated under the condition as indicated. AUC (areaunder the curve) equals to Δflux×Δtime. “Δflux” represents the change offlux units after the electrical pulse stimulation; and “Δtime”represents the time period taken for the blood cell flux level to returnto the level before the electrical pulse stimulation.

FIG. 3 shows the effect of administering different dosage of antibody4901 (25 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, 2.5 mg/kg, or 1 mg/kg) on skin blood flowmeasured as blood cell flux after electrical pulse stimulation for 30seconds. Antibodies were administered intravenously (IV) 24 hours beforeelectrical pulse stimulation. Each point in the graph represents AUC ofone rat treated under the conditions as indicated. The line in the graphrepresents average AUC of rats treated under the condition as indicated.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the effect of administering antibody 4901 (1 mg/kgor 10 mg/kg, i.v.), antibody 7E9 (10 mg/kg, i.v.), and antibody 8B6 (10mg/kg, i.v.) on skin blood flow measured as blood cell flux afterelectrical pulse stimulation for 30 seconds. Antibodies wereadministered intravenously (i.v.) followed by electrical pulsestimulation at 30 min, 60 min, 90 min, and 120 min after antibodyadministration. Y axis represents percent of AUC as compared to level ofAUC when no antibody was administered (time 0). X axis represents time(minutes) period between the administration of antibodies and electricalpulse stimulation. “*” indicates P<0.05, and “**” indicates P<0.01, ascompared to time 0. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with aDunnett's Multiple comparison test.

FIG. 5 shows the amino acid sequence of the heavy chain variable region(SEQ ID NO:1) and light chain variable region (SEQ ID NO:2) of antibodyG1. The Kabat CDRs are in bold text, and the Chothia CDRs areunderlined. The amino acid residues for the heavy chain and light chainvariable region are numbered sequentially.

FIG. 6 shows epitope mapping of antibody G1 by peptide competition usingBiacore. N-biotinylated human α-CGRP was captured on SA sensor chip. G1Fab (50 nM) in the absence of a competing peptide or pre-incubated for 1h with 10 uM of a competing peptide was flowed onto the chip. Binding ofG1 Fab to the human α-CGRP on the chip was measured. Y axis representspercentage of binding blocked by the presence of the competing peptidecompared with the binding in the absence of the competing peptide.

FIG. 7 shows the effect of administering antibody G1 (1 mg/kg or 10mg/kg, i.v.) or vehicle (PBS, 0.01% Tween 20) on skin blood flowmeasured as blood cell flux after electrical pulse stimulation for 30seconds. Antibody G1 or vehicle was administered intravenously (i.v.)followed by nerve electrical pulse stimulation at 30 min, 60 min, 90min, and 120 min after antibody administration. Y axis representspercent of AUC as compared to level of AUC when no antibody or vehicle(defined as 100%) was administered (time 0). X axis represents time(minutes) period between the administration of antibodies and electricalpulse stimulation. “*” indicates P<0.05, and “**” indicates P<0.01, ascompared to vehicle. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA andBonferroni post tests.

FIG. 8A shows the effect of administering antibody G1 (1 mg/kg, 3 mg/kgor 10 mg/kg, i.v.) or vehicle (PBS, 0.01% Tween 20) on skin blood flowmeasured as blood cell flux after electrical pulse stimulation for 30seconds 24 hours after dosing. Antibody G1 or vehicle was administeredintravenously (i.v.) 24 hours before nerve electrical pulse stimulation.Y axis represents total area under curve (change in blood cell fluxmultiplied by the change in time from stimulation until flux returns tobaseline, AUC). X axis represents varying doses of antibody G1. “*”indicates P<0.05, and “**” indicates P<0.01, as compared to vehicle.Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Dunn's multiple comparisontest.

FIG. 8B shows the effect of administering antibody G1 (0.3 mg/kg, 1mg/kg, 3 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg, i.v.) or vehicle (PBS, 0.01% Tween 20) onskin blood flow measured as blood cell flux after electrical pulsestimulation for 30 seconds 7 days after dosing. Antibody G1 or vehiclewas administered intravenously (i.v.) 7 days before nerve electricalpulse stimulation. Y axis represents total AUC. X axis representsvarying doses of antibody G1. “**” indicates P<0.01, and “***” indicatesP<0.001, as compared to vehicle. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVAand Dunn's multiple comparison test.

FIG. 8C is a curve fit analysis of the data from FIGS. 8A and 8B.Antibody G1 or vehicle was administered intravenously (i.v.) either 24hours or 7 days before nerve electrical pulse stimulation. Y axisrepresents total AUC. X axis represents varying doses of antibody G1 in“mg/kg” on a logarithmic scale to determine EC₅₀.

FIG. 9 shows the effect of antibody mu7E9 (10 mg/kg), BIBN4096BS orvehicle (PBS, 0.01% Tween 20) on the change in diameter of the middlemeningeal artery after electrical field stimulation. Antibody mu7E9,BIBN4096BS or vehicle were administered intravenously (i.v.) at timepoint 0 minutes after a baseline response to electrical stimulation wasestablished. Y axis represents change in diameter of the middlemeningeal artery after electrical field stimulation. Resting diametercorresponds to 0%. X axis represents time (minutes) of electrical pulsestimulation. “*” indicates P<0.05, and “**” indicates P<0.01, ascompared to vehicle. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Dunett'smultiple comparison test.

FIG. 10 shows the effect of varying doses of antibody G1 (1 mg/kg, 3mg/kg or 10 mg/kg, i.v.) or vehicle (PBS, 0.01% Tween 20) on the changein diameter of the middle meningeal artery after electrical fieldstimulation. Antibody G1 or vehicle was administered intravenously(i.v.) 7 days before electrical field stimulation. Y axis representschange in diameter of the middle meningeal artery. Resting diametercorresponds to 0%. X axis represents stimulation voltage. “*” indicatesP<0.05, “**” indicates P<0.01, and “***” indicates P<0.001, as comparedto vehicle. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Bonferroniposttests.

FIG. 11A shows the effect of antibody mu4901 (10 mg/kg) or vehicle (PBS,0.01% Tween 20), administered intravenously (i.v.) 24 hours prior, onthe decrease in core temperature induced by subcutaneous injection ofnaloxone (1 mg/kg) in morphine addicted rats. The Y axis representstemperature difference from baseline. The X axis represents timemeasured from the point of naloxone injection.

FIG. 11B shows the effect of antibody mu4901 (10 mg/kg) or vehicle (PBS,0.01% Tween 20), administered intravenously (i.v.) 24 hours prior, onthe increase in tail surface temperature induced by subcutaneousinjection of naloxone (1 mg/kg) in morphine addicted rats. The Y axisrepresents temperature difference from baseline. The X axis representstime measured from the point of naloxone injection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed herein provides methods for treating and/orpreventing vasomotor symptoms such as headache (e.g., migraine, clusterheadache, chronic headache, and tension headache) or hot flush in anindividual by administering to the individual a therapeuticallyeffective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody.

The invention disclosed herein also provides anti-CGRP antagonistantibodies and polypeptides derived from G1 or its variants shown inTable 6. The invention also provides methods of making and using theseantibodies and polypeptides.

General Techniques

The practice of the present invention will employ, unless otherwiseindicated, conventional techniques of molecular biology (includingrecombinant techniques), microbiology, cell biology, biochemistry andimmunology, which are within the skill of the art. Such techniques areexplained fully in the literature, such as, Molecular Cloning: ALaboratory Manual, second edition (Sambrook et al., 1989) Cold SpringHarbor Press; Oligonucleotide Synthesis (M. J. Gait, ed., 1984); Methodsin Molecular Biology, Humana Press; Cell Biology: A Laboratory Notebook(J. E. Cellis, ed., 1998) Academic Press; Animal Cell Culture (R. I.Freshney, ed., 1987); Introduction to Cell and Tissue Culture (J. P.Mather and P. E. Roberts, 1998) Plenum Press; Cell and Tissue Culture:Laboratory Procedures (A. Doyle, J. B. Griffiths, and D. G. Newell,eds., 1993-1998) J. Wiley and Sons; Methods in Enzymology (AcademicPress, Inc.); Handbook of Experimental Immunology (D. M. Weir and C. C.Blackwell, eds.); Gene Transfer Vectors for Mammalian Cells (J. M.Miller and M. P. Cabs, eds., 1987); Current Protocols in MolecularBiology (F. M. Ausubel et al., eds., 1987); PCR: The Polymerase ChainReaction, (Mullis et al., eds., 1994); Current Protocols in Immunology(J. E. Coligan et al., eds., 1991); Short Protocols in Molecular Biology(Wiley and Sons, 1999); Immunobiology (C. A. Janeway and P. Travers,1997); Antibodies (P. Finch, 1997); Antibodies: a practical approach (D.Catty., ed., IRL Press, 1988-1989); Monoclonal antibodies: a practicalapproach (P. Shepherd and C. Dean, eds., Oxford University Press, 2000);Using antibodies: a laboratory manual (E. Harlow and D. Lane (ColdSpring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1999); The Antibodies (M. Zanetti and J.D. Capra, eds., Harwood Academic Publishers, 1995).

DEFINITIONS

An “antibody” is an immunoglobulin molecule capable of specific bindingto a target, such as a carbohydrate, polynucleotide, lipid, polypeptide,etc., through at least one antigen recognition site, located in thevariable region of the immunoglobulin molecule. As used herein, the termencompasses not only intact polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies, butalso fragments thereof (such as Fab, Fab′, F(ab′)₂, Fv), single chain(ScFv), mutants thereof, fusion proteins comprising an antibody portion(such as domain antibodies), and any other modified configuration of theimmunoglobulin molecule that comprises an antigen recognition site. Anantibody includes an antibody of any class, such as IgG, IgA, or IgM (orsub-class thereof), and the antibody need not be of any particularclass. Depending on the antibody amino acid sequence of the constantdomain of its heavy chains, immunoglobulins can be assigned to differentclasses. There are five major classes of immunoglobulins: IgA, IgD, IgE,IgG, and IgM, and several of these may be further divided intosubclasses (isotypes), e.g., IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgA1 and IgA2. Theheavy-chain constant domains that correspond to the different classes ofimmunoglobulins are called alpha, delta, epsilon, gamma, and mu,respectively. The subunit structures and three-dimensionalconfigurations of different classes of immunoglobulins are well known.

As used herein, “monoclonal antibody” refers to an antibody obtainedfrom a population of substantially homogeneous antibodies, i.e., theindividual antibodies comprising the population are identical except forpossible naturally-occurring mutations that may be present in minoramounts. Monoclonal antibodies are highly specific, being directedagainst a single antigenic site. Furthermore, in contrast to polyclonalantibody preparations, which typically include different antibodiesdirected against different determinants (epitopes), each monoclonalantibody is directed against a single determinant on the antigen. Themodifier “monoclonal” indicates the character of the antibody as beingobtained from a substantially homogeneous population of antibodies, andis not to be construed as requiring production of the antibody by anyparticular method. For example, the monoclonal antibodies to be used inaccordance with the present invention may be made by the hybridomamethod first described by Kohler and Milstein, 1975, Nature, 256:495, ormay be made by recombinant DNA methods such as described in U.S. Pat.No. 4,816,567. The monoclonal antibodies may also be isolated from phagelibraries generated using the techniques described in McCafferty et al.,1990, Nature, 348:552-554, for example.

As used herein, “humanized” antibodies refer to forms of non-human (e.g.murine) antibodies that are specific chimeric immunoglobulins,immunoglobulin chains, or fragments thereof (such as Fv, Fab, Fab′,F(ab′)₂ or other antigen-binding subsequences of antibodies) thatcontain minimal sequence derived from non-human immunoglobulin. For themost part, humanized antibodies are human immunoglobulins (recipientantibody) in which residues from a complementarity determining region(CDR) of the recipient are replaced by residues from a CDR of anon-human species (donor antibody) such as mouse, rat, or rabbit havingthe desired specificity, affinity, and biological activity. In someinstances, Fv framework region (FR) residues of the human immunoglobulinare replaced by corresponding non-human residues. Furthermore, thehumanized antibody may comprise residues that are found neither in therecipient antibody nor in the imported CDR or framework sequences, butare included to further refine and optimize antibody performance. Ingeneral, the humanized antibody will comprise substantially all of atleast one, and typically two, variable domains, in which all orsubstantially all of the CDR regions correspond to those of a non-humanimmunoglobulin and all or substantially all of the FR regions are thoseof a human immunoglobulin consensus sequence. The humanized antibodyoptimally also will comprise at least a portion of an immunoglobulinconstant region or domain (Fc), typically that of a humanimmunoglobulin. Antibodies may have Fc regions modified as described inWO 99/58572. Other forms of humanized antibodies have one or more CDRs(one, two, three, four, five, six) which are altered with respect to theoriginal antibody, which are also termed one or more CDRs “derived from”one or more CDRs from the original antibody.

As used herein, “human antibody” means an antibody having an amino acidsequence corresponding to that of an antibody produced by a human and/orhas been made using any of the techniques for making human antibodiesknown in the art or disclosed herein. This definition of a humanantibody includes antibodies comprising at least one human heavy chainpolypeptide or at least one human light chain polypeptide. One suchexample is an antibody comprising murine light chain and human heavychain polypeptides. Human antibodies can be produced using varioustechniques known in the art. In one embodiment, the human antibody isselected from a phage library, where that phage library expresses humanantibodies (Vaughan et al., 1996, Nature Biotechnology, 14:309-314;Sheets et al., 1998, PNAS, (USA) 95:6157-6162; Hoogenboom and Winter,1991, J. Mol. Biol., 227:381; Marks et al., 1991, J. Mol. Biol.,222:581). Human antibodies can also be made by introducing humanimmunoglobulin loci into transgenic animals, e.g., mice in which theendogenous immunoglobulin genes have been partially or completelyinactivated. This approach is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,545,807;5,545,806; 5,569,825; 5,625,126; 5,633,425; and 5,661,016.Alternatively, the human antibody may be prepared by immortalizing humanB lymphocytes that produce an antibody directed against a target antigen(such B lymphocytes may be recovered from an individual or may have beenimmunized in vitro). See, e.g., Cole et al., Monoclonal Antibodies andCancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, p. 77 (1985); Boerner et al., 1991, J.Immunol., 147 (1):86-95; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,373.

As used herein, the term “calcitonin gene-related peptide” and “CGRP”refers to any form of calcitonin gene-related peptide and variantsthereof that retain at least part of the activity of CGRP. For example,CGRP may be α-CGRP or β-CGRP. As used herein, CGRP includes allmammalian species of native sequence CGRP, e.g., human, canine, feline,equine, and bovine.

As used herein, an “anti-CGRP antagonist antibody” (interchangeablytermed “anti-CGRP antibody”) refers to an antibody that is able to bindto CGRP and inhibit CGRP biological activity and/or downstreampathway(s) mediated by CGRP signaling. An anti-CGRP antagonist antibodyencompasses antibodies that block, antagonize, suppress or reduce(including significantly) CGRP biological activity, including downstreampathways mediated by CGRP signaling, such as receptor binding and/orelicitation of a cellular response to CGRP. For purpose of the presentinvention, it will be explicitly understood that the term “anti-CGRPantagonist antibody” encompasses all the previously identified terms,titles, and functional states and characteristics whereby the CGRPitself, an CGRP biological activity (including but not limited to itsability to mediate any aspect of headache), or the consequences of thebiological activity, are substantially nullified, decreased, orneutralized in any meaningful degree. In some embodiment, an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody binds CGRP and prevents CGRP binding to a CGRPreceptor. In other embodiments, an anti-CGRP antibody binds CGRP andprevents activation of a CGRP receptor. Examples of anti-CGRP antagonistantibodies are provided herein.

As used herein, the terms “G1” and “antibody G1” are usedinterchangeably to refer to an antibody produced by expression vectorshaving deposit numbers of ATCC PTA-6867 and ATCC PTA-6866. The aminoacid sequence of the heavy chain and light chain variable regions areshown in FIG. 5. The CDR portions of antibody G1 (including Chothia andKabat CDRs) are diagrammatically depicted in FIG. 5. The polynucleotidesencoding the heavy and light chain variable regions are shown in SEQ IDNO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10. The characterization of G1 is described in theExamples.

The terms “polypeptide”, “oligopeptide”, “peptide” and “protein” areused interchangeably herein to refer to polymers of amino acids of anylength. The polymer may be linear or branched, it may comprise modifiedamino acids, and it may be interrupted by non-amino acids. The termsalso encompass an amino acid polymer that has been modified naturally orby intervention; for example, disulfide bond formation, glycosylation,lipidation, acetylation, phosphorylation, or any other manipulation ormodification, such as conjugation with a labeling component. Alsoincluded within the definition are, for example, polypeptides containingone or more analogs of an amino acid (including, for example, unnaturalamino acids, etc.), as well as other modifications known in the art. Itis understood that, because the polypeptides of this invention are basedupon an antibody, the polypeptides can occur as single chains orassociated chains.

“Polynucleotide,” or “nucleic acid,” as used interchangeably herein,refer to polymers of nucleotides of any length, and include DNA and RNA.The nucleotides can be deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, modifiednucleotides or bases, and/or their analogs, or any substrate that can beincorporated into a polymer by DNA or RNA polymerase. A polynucleotidemay comprise modified nucleotides, such as methylated nucleotides andtheir analogs. If present, modification to the nucleotide structure maybe imparted before or after assembly of the polymer. The sequence ofnucleotides may be interrupted by non-nucleotide components. Apolynucleotide may be further modified after polymerization, such as byconjugation with a labeling component. Other types of modificationsinclude, for example, “caps”, substitution of one or more of thenaturally occurring nucleotides with an analog, internucleotidemodifications such as, for example, those with uncharged linkages (e.g.,methyl phosphonates, phosphotriesters, phosphoamidates, carbamates,etc.) and with charged linkages (e.g., phosphorothioates,phosphorodithioates, etc.), those containing pendant moieties, such as,for example, proteins (e.g., nucleases, toxins, antibodies, signalpeptides, ply-L-lysine, etc.), those with intercalators (e.g., acridine,psoralen, etc.), those containing chelators (e.g., metals, radioactivemetals, boron, oxidative metals, etc.), those containing alkylators,those with modified linkages (e.g., alpha anomeric nucleic acids, etc.),as well as unmodified forms of the polynucleotide(s). Further, any ofthe hydroxyl groups ordinarily present in the sugars may be replaced,for example, by phosphonate groups, phosphate groups, protected bystandard protecting groups, or activated to prepare additional linkagesto additional nucleotides, or may be conjugated to solid supports. The5′ and 3′ terminal OH can be phosphorylated or substituted with aminesor organic capping group moieties of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms. Otherhydroxyls may also be derivatized to standard protecting groups.Polynucleotides can also contain analogous forms of ribose ordeoxyribose sugars that are generally known in the art, including, forexample, 2′-O-methyl-, 2′-O-allyl, 2′-fluoro- or 2′-azido-ribose,carbocyclic sugar analogs, α-anomeric sugars, epimeric sugars such asarabinose, xyloses or lyxoses, pyranose sugars, furanose sugars,sedoheptuloses, acyclic analogs and abasic nucleoside analogs such asmethyl riboside. One or more phosphodiester linkages may be replaced byalternative linking groups. These alternative linking groups include,but are not limited to, embodiments wherein phosphate is replaced byP(O)S(“thioate”), P(S)S (“dithioate”), (O)NR₂ (“amidate”), P(O)R,P(O)OR′, CO or CH₂ (“formacetal”), in which each R or R′ isindependently H or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl (1-20 C)optionally containing an ether (—O—) linkage, aryl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl,cycloalkenyl or araldyl. Not all linkages in a polynucleotide need beidentical. The preceding description applies to all polynucleotidesreferred to herein, including RNA and DNA.

A “variable region” of an antibody refers to the variable region of theantibody light chain or the variable region of the antibody heavy chain,either alone or in combination. The variable regions of the heavy andlight chain each consist of four framework regions (FR) connected bythree complementarity determining regions (CDRs) also known ashypervariable regions. The CDRs in each chain are held together in closeproximity by the FRs and, with the CDRs from the other chain, contributeto the formation of the antigen-binding site of antibodies. There are atleast two techniques for determining CDRs: (1) an approach based oncross-species sequence variability (i.e., Kabat et al. Sequences ofProteins of Immunological Interest, (5th ed., 1991, National Institutesof Health, Bethesda Md.)); and (2) an approach based on crystallographicstudies of antigen-antibody complexes (Al-Iazikani et al (1997) J.Molec. Biol. 273:927-948)). As used herein, a CDR may refer to CDRsdefined by either approach or by a combination of both approaches.

A “constant region” of an antibody refers to the constant region of theantibody light chain or the constant region of the antibody heavy chain,either alone or in combination.

An epitope that “preferentially binds” or “specifically binds” (usedinterchangeably herein) to an antibody or a polypeptide is a term wellunderstood in the art, and methods to determine such specific orpreferential binding are also well known in the art. A molecule is saidto exhibit “specific binding” or “preferential binding” if it reacts orassociates more frequently, more rapidly, with greater duration and/orwith greater affinity with a particular cell or substance than it doeswith alternative cells or substances. An antibody “specifically binds”or “preferentially binds” to a target if it binds with greater affinity,avidity, more readily, and/or with greater duration than it binds toother substances. For example, an antibody that specifically orpreferentially binds to a CGRP epitope is an antibody that binds thisepitope with greater affinity, avidity, more readily, and/or withgreater duration than it binds to other CGRP epitopes or non-CGRPepitopes. It is also understood by reading this definition that, forexample, an antibody (or moiety or epitope) that specifically orpreferentially binds to a first target may or may not specifically orpreferentially bind to a second target. As such, “specific binding” or“preferential binding” does not necessarily require (although it caninclude) exclusive binding. Generally, but not necessarily, reference tobinding means preferential binding.

As used herein, “substantially pure” refers to material which is atleast 50% pure (i.e., free from contaminants), more preferably at least90% pure, more preferably at least 95% pure, more preferably at least98% pure, more preferably at least 99% pure.

A “host cell” includes an individual cell or cell culture that can be orhas been a recipient for vector(s) for incorporation of polynucleotideinserts. Host cells include progeny of a single host cell, and theprogeny may not necessarily be completely identical (in morphology or ingenomic DNA complement) to the original parent cell due to natural,accidental, or deliberate mutation. A host cell includes cellstransfected in vivo with a polynucleotide(s) of this invention.

The term “Fc region” is used to define a C-terminal region of animmunoglobulin heavy chain. The “Fc region” may be a native sequence Fcregion or a variant Fc region. Although the boundaries of the Fc regionof an immunoglobulin heavy chain might vary, the human IgG heavy chainFc region is usually defined to stretch from an amino acid residue atposition Cys226, or from Pro230, to the carboxyl-terminus thereof. Thenumbering of the residues in the Fc region is that of the EU index as inKabat. Kabat et al., Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest,5th Ed. Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,Md., 1991. The Fc region of an immunoglobulin generally comprises twoconstant domains, CH2 and CH3.

As used herein, “Fc receptor” and “FcR” describe a receptor that bindsto the Fc region of an antibody. The preferred FcR is a native sequencehuman FcR. Moreover, a preferred FcR is one which binds an IgG antibody(a gamma receptor) and includes receptors of the FcγRI, FcγRII, andFcγRIII subclasses, including allelic variants and alternatively splicedforms of these receptors. FcγRII receptors include FcγRIIA (an“activating receptor”) and FcγRIIB (an “inhibiting receptor”), whichhave similar amino acid sequences that differ primarily in thecytoplasmic domains thereof. FcRs are reviewed in Ravetch and Kinet,1991, Ann. Rev. Immunol., 9:457-92; Capel et al., 1994, Immunomethods,4:25-34; and de Haas et al., 1995, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 126:330-41. “FcR”also includes the neonatal receptor, FcRn, which is responsible for thetransfer of maternal IgGs to the fetus (Guyer et al., 1976, J. Immunol.,117:587; and Kim et al., 1994, J. Immunol., 24:249).

“Complement dependent cytotoxicity” and “CDC” refer to the lysing of atarget in the presence of complement. The complement activation pathwayis initiated by the binding of the first component of the complementsystem (C1q) to a molecule (e.g. an antibody) complexed with a cognateantigen. To assess complement activation, a CDC assay, e.g. as describedin Gazzano-Santoro et al., J. Immunol. Methods, 202:163 (1996), may beperformed.

A “functional Fc region” possesses at least one effector function of anative sequence Fc region. Exemplary “effector functions” include C1qbinding; complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC); Fc receptor binding;antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC); phagocytosis;down-regulation of cell surface receptors (e.g. B cell receptor; BCR),etc. Such effector functions generally require the Fc region to becombined with a binding domain (e.g. an antibody variable domain) andcan be assessed using various assays known in the art for evaluatingsuch antibody effector functions.

A “native sequence Fc region” comprises an amino acid sequence identicalto the amino acid sequence of an Fc region found in nature. A “variantFc region” comprises an amino acid sequence which differs from that of anative sequence Fc region by virtue of at least one amino acidmodification, yet retains at least one effector function of the nativesequence Fc region. Preferably, the variant Fc region has at least oneamino acid substitution compared to a native sequence Fc region or tothe Fc region of a parent polypeptide, e.g. from about one to about tenamino acid substitutions, and preferably from about one to about fiveamino acid substitutions in a native sequence Fc region or in the Fcregion of the parent polypeptide. The variant Fc region herein willpreferably possess at least about 80% sequence identity with a nativesequence Fc region and/or with an Fc region of a parent polypeptide, andmost preferably at least about 90% sequence identity therewith, morepreferably at least about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%,at least about 98%, at least about 99% sequence identity therewith.

As used herein “antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity” and“ADCC” refer to a cell-mediated reaction in which nonspecific cytotoxiccells that express Fc receptors (FcRs) (e.g. natural killer (NK) cells,neutrophils, and macrophages) recognize bound antibody on a target celland subsequently cause lysis of the target cell. ADCC activity of amolecule of interest can be assessed using an in vitro ADCC assay, suchas that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,362 or 5,821,337. Usefuleffector cells for such assays include peripheral blood mononuclearcells (PBMC) and NK cells. Alternatively, or additionally, ADCC activityof the molecule of interest may be assessed in vivo, e.g., in a animalmodel such as that disclosed in Clynes et al., 1998, PNAS (USA),95:652-656.

As used herein, “treatment” is an approach for obtaining beneficial ordesired clinical results. For purposes of this invention, beneficial ordesired clinical results include, but are not limited to, one or more ofthe following: improvement in any aspect of a headache includinglessening severity, alleviation of pain intensity, and other associatedsymptoms, reducing frequency of recurrence, increasing the quality oflife of those suffering from the headache, and decreasing dose of othermedications required to treat the headache. For migraine, otherassociated symptoms include, but are not limited to, nausea, vomiting,and sensitivity to light, sound, and/or movement. For cluster headache,other associated symptoms include, but are not limited to swelling underor around the eyes, excessive tears, red eye, Rhinorrhea or nasalcongestion, and red flushed face.

“Reducing incidence” of headache means any of reducing severity (whichcan include reducing need for and/or amount of (e.g., exposure to) otherdrugs and/or therapies generally used for this condition, including, forexample, ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, or triptans for migraine),duration, and/or frequency (including, for example, delaying orincreasing time to next episodic attack in an individual). As isunderstood by those skilled in the art, individuals may vary in terms oftheir response to treatment, and, as such, for example, a “method ofreducing incidence of headache in an individual” reflects administeringthe anti-CGRP antagonist antibody based on a reasonable expectation thatsuch administration may likely cause such a reduction in incidence inthat particular individual.

“Ameliorating” headache or one or more symptoms of headache means alessening or improvement of one or more symptoms of headache as comparedto not administering an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody. “Ameliorating”also includes shortening or reduction in duration of a symptom.

As used herein, “controlling headache” refers to maintaining or reducingseverity or duration of one or more symptoms of headache or frequency ofheadache attacks in an individual (as compared to the level beforetreatment). For example, the duration or severity of head pain, orfrequency of attacks is reduced by at least about any of 10%, 20%, 30%,40%, 50%, 60%, or 70% in the individual as compared to the level beforetreatment.

As used therein, “delaying” the development of headache means to defer,hinder, slow, retard, stabilize, and/or postpone progression of thedisease. This delay can be of varying lengths of time, depending on thehistory of the disease and/or individuals being treated. As is evidentto one skilled in the art, a sufficient or significant delay can, ineffect, encompass prevention, in that the individual does not developheadache (e.g., migraine). A method that “delays” development of thesymptom is a method that reduces probability of developing the symptomin a given time frame and/or reduces extent of the symptoms in a giventime frame, when compared to not using the method. Such comparisons aretypically based on clinical studies, using a statistically significantnumber of subjects.

“Development” or “progression” of headache means initial manifestationsand/or ensuing progression of the disorder. Development of headache canbe detectable and assessed using standard clinical techniques as wellknown in the art. However, development also refers to progression thatmay be undetectable. For purpose of this invention, development orprogression refers to the biological course of the symptoms.“Development” includes occurrence, recurrence, and onset. As used herein“onset” or “occurrence” of headache includes initial onset and/orrecurrence.

As used herein, an “effective dosage” or “effective amount” of drug,compound, or pharmaceutical composition is an amount sufficient toeffect beneficial or desired results. For prophylactic use, beneficialor desired results include results such as eliminating or reducing therisk, lessening the severity, or delaying the outset of the disease,including biochemical, histological and/or behavioral symptoms of thedisease, its complications and intermediate pathological phenotypespresenting during development of the disease. For therapeutic use,beneficial or desired results include clinical results such as reducingpain intensity, duration, or frequency of headache attack, anddecreasing one or more symptoms resulting from headache (biochemical,histological and/or behavioral), including its complications andintermediate pathological phenotypes presenting during development ofthe disease, increasing the quality of life of those suffering from thedisease, decreasing the dose of other medications required to treat thedisease, enhancing effect of another medication, and/or delaying theprogression of the disease of patients. An effective dosage can beadministered in one or more administrations. For purposes of thisinvention, an effective dosage of drug, compound, or pharmaceuticalcomposition is an amount sufficient to accomplish prophylactic ortherapeutic treatment either directly or indirectly. As is understood inthe clinical context, an effective dosage of a drug, compound, orpharmaceutical composition may or may not be achieved in conjunctionwith another drug, compound, or pharmaceutical composition. Thus, an“effective dosage” may be considered in the context of administering oneor more therapeutic agents, and a single agent may be considered to begiven in an effective amount if, in conjunction with one or more otheragents, a desirable result may be or is achieved.

An “individual” or a “subject” is a mammal, more preferably a human.Mammals also include, but are not limited to, farm animals, sportanimals, pets, primates, horses, dogs, cats, mice and rats.

As used herein, “vector” means a construct, which is capable ofdelivering, and preferably expressing, one or more gene(s) orsequence(s) of interest in a host cell. Examples of vectors include, butare not limited to, viral vectors, naked DNA or RNA expression vectors,plasmid, cosmid or phage vectors, DNA or RNA expression vectorsassociated with cationic condensing agents, DNA or RNA expressionvectors encapsulated in liposomes, and certain eukaryotic cells, such asproducer cells.

As used herein, “expression control sequence” means a nucleic acidsequence that directs transcription of a nucleic acid. An expressioncontrol sequence can be a promoter, such as a constitutive or aninducible promoter, or an enhancer. The expression control sequence isoperably linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be transcribed.

As used herein, “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” or “pharmaceuticalacceptable excipient” includes any material which, when combined with anactive ingredient, allows the ingredient to retain biological activityand is non-reactive with the subject's immune system. Examples include,but are not limited to, any of the standard pharmaceutical carriers suchas a phosphate buffered saline solution, water, emulsions such asoil/water emulsion, and various types of wetting agents. Preferreddiluents for aerosol or parenteral administration are phosphate bufferedsaline or normal (0.9%) saline. Compositions comprising such carriersare formulated by well known conventional methods (see, for example,Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 18th edition, A. Gennaro, ed., MackPublishing Co., Easton, Pa., 1990; and Remington, The Science andPractice of Pharmacy 20th Ed. Mack Publishing, 2000).

The term “k_(on)”, as used herein, is intended to refer to the rateconstant for association of an antibody to an antigen.

The term “K_(off)”, as used herein, is intended to refer to the rateconstant for dissociation of an antibody from the antibody/antigencomplex.

The term “K_(D)”, as used herein, is intended to refer to theequilibrium dissociation constant of an antibody-antigen interaction.

As used herein, the term “vasomotor symptom,” is intended to refer toconditions related to vasodilation and include, but are not limited to,headache (such as migraine, . . . others), hot flushing (or hotflashes), cold flashes, insomnia, sleep disturbances, mood disorders,irritability, excessive perspiration, night sweats, day sweats, fatigue,and the like, caused by, inter alia, thermoregulatory dysfunction.

As used herein, the terms “flushing”, “hot flush” and “hot flash” areart-recognized terms that refer to an episodic disturbance in bodytemperature typically consisting of a sudden skin flushing, usuallyaccompanied by perspiration in a subject.

A. Methods for Preventing or Treating Vasomotor Symptoms

In one aspect, the invention provides a method for treating orpreventing at least one vasomotor symptom, such as headache (e.g.,migraine) or hot flushes, in an individual comprising administering tothe individual an effective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibodyor polypeptides derived from the antibody.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method for ameliorating,controlling, reducing incidence of, or delaying the development orprogression of at least one vasomotor symptom, such as headache (e.g.,migraine) or hot flushes, in an individual comprising administering tothe individual an effective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody.

In another aspect, the invention provides methods for ameliorating,controlling, reducing incidence of, or delaying the development orprogression of headache (e.g., migraine) in an individual comprisingadministering to the individual an effective amount of an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody in combination with at least one additional agentuseful for treating headache.

Such additional agents include, but are not limited to, 5-HT agonistsand NSAIDs. For example, the antibody and the at least one additionalagent can be concomitantly administered, i.e., they can be given inclose enough temporal proximity to allow their individual therapeuticeffects to overlap. For example, the amount of 5-HT agonist or NSAIDadministered in combination with an anti-CGRP antibody should besufficient to reduce the frequency of headache relapse in patients orproduce longer lasting efficacy compared to the administration of eitherone of these agents in the absence of the other. This procedure may beused to treat headaches falling into any of a wide variety of classesincluding: migraine with or without aura; hemiplegic migraine; clusterheadaches; migrainous neuralgia; chronic headaches; tension headaches;headaches resulting from other medical conditions (such as infection orincreased pressure in the skull due to a tumor); chronic paroxysmalhemicrania; miscellaneous headache unassociated with a structurallesion; headache associated with a non-vascular intracranial disorder;headache associated with the administration of a substance or itswithdrawal; headache associated with noncephalic infection; headacheassociated with a metabolic disorder; headache associated with adisorder of the cranium, neck, eyes, ears, nose, sinuses, teeth, mouthor other facial or cranial structure; cranial neuralgias; and nervetrunk pain and deafferentiation pain.

Those skilled in the art will be able to determine appropriate dosageamounts for particular agents to be used in combination with ananti-CGRP antibody. For example, sumatriptan may be administered in adosage from about 0.01 to about 300 mg. When administerednon-parenterally, the typical dosage of sumatriptan is from about 25 toabout 100 mg with about 50 mg being generally preferred and, whenadministered parenterally, the preferred dosage is about 6 mg. However,these dosages may be varied according to methods standard in the art sothat they are optimized for a particular patient or for a particularcombination therapy. Further, for example, celecoxib may be administeredin an amount of between 50 and 500 mg.

In another aspect, the invention provides methods for ameliorating,controlling, reducing incidence of, or delaying the development orprogression of hot flushes in an individual comprising administering tothe individual an effective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibodyin combination with at least one additional agent useful for treatinghot flushes. Such additional agents include, but are not limited to,hormone-based treatments, including estrogens and/or some progestins.

With respect to all methods described herein, reference to anti-CGRPantagonist antibodies also include compositions comprising one or moreof these agents. These compositions may further comprise suitableexcipients, such as pharmaceutically acceptable excipients includingbuffers, which are well known in the art. The present invention can beused alone or in combination with other conventional methods oftreatment.

The anti-CGRP antagonist antibody can be administered to an individualvia any suitable route. It should be apparent to a person skilled in theart that the examples described herein are not intended to be limitingbut to be illustrative of the techniques available. Accordingly, in someembodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is administered to aindividual in accord with known methods, such as intravenousadministration, e.g., as a bolus or by continuous infusion over a periodof time, by intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intracerebrospinal,subcutaneous, intra-articular, sublingually, intrasynovial, viainsufflation, intrathecal, oral, inhalation or topical routes.Administration can be systemic, e.g., intravenous administration, orlocalized. Commercially available nebulizers for liquid formulations,including jet nebulizers and ultrasonic nebulizers are useful foradministration. Liquid formulations can be directly nebulized andlyophilized powder can be nebulized after reconstitution. Alternatively,anti-CGRP antagonist antibody can be aerosolized using a fluorocarbonformulation and a metered dose inhaler, or inhaled as a lyophilized andmilled powder.

In one embodiment, an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is administered viasite-specific or targeted local delivery techniques. Examples ofsite-specific or targeted local delivery techniques include variousimplantable depot sources of the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody or localdelivery catheters, such as infusion catheters, an indwelling catheter,or a needle catheter, synthetic grafts, adventitial wraps, shunts andstents or other implantable devices, site specific carriers, directinjection, or direct application. See, e.g., PCT Publication No. WO00/53211 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,568.

Various formulations of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody may be used foradministration. In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibodymay be administered neat. In some embodiments, anti-CGRP antagonistantibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient may be in variousformulations. Pharmaceutically acceptable excipients are known in theart, and are relatively inert substances that facilitate administrationof a pharmacologically effective substance. For example, an excipientcan give form or consistency, or act as a diluent. Suitable excipientsinclude but are not limited to stabilizing agents, wetting andemulsifying agents, salts for varying osmolarity, encapsulating agents,buffers, and skin penetration enhancers. Excipients as well asformulations for parenteral and nonparenteral drug delivery are setforth in Remington, The Science and Practice of Pharmacy 20th Ed. MackPublishing (2000).

In some embodiments, these agents are formulated for administration byinjection (e.g., intraperitoneally, intravenously, subcutaneously,intramuscularly, etc.). Accordingly, these agents can be combined withpharmaceutically acceptable vehicles such as saline, Ringer's solution,dextrose solution, and the like. The particular dosage regimen, i.e.,dose, timing and repetition, will depend on the particular individualand that individual's medical history.

An anti-CGRP antibody can be administered using any suitable method,including by injection (e.g., intraperitoneally, intravenously,subcutaneously, intramuscularly, etc.). Anti-CGRP antibodies can also beadministered via inhalation, as described herein. Generally, foradministration of anti-CGRP antibodies, an initial candidate dosage canbe about 2 mg/kg. For the purpose of the present invention, a typicaldaily dosage might range from about any of 3 μg/kg to 30 μg/kg to 300μg/kg to 3 mg/kg, to 30 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg or more, depending on thefactors mentioned above. For example, dosage of about 1 mg/kg, about 2.5mg/kg, about 5 mg/kg, about 10 mg/kg, and about 25 mg/kg may be used.For repeated administrations over several days or longer, depending onthe condition, the treatment is sustained until a desired suppression ofsymptoms occurs or until sufficient therapeutic levels are achieved, forexample, to reduce pain. An exemplary dosing regimen comprisesadministering an initial dose of about 2 mg/kg, followed by a weeklymaintenance dose of about 1 mg/kg of the anti-CGRP antibody, or followedby a maintenance dose of about 1 mg/kg every other week. However, otherdosage regimens may be useful, depending on the pattern ofpharmacokinetic decay that the practitioner wishes to achieve. Forexample, in some embodiments, dosing from one-four times a week iscontemplated. The progress of this therapy is easily monitored byconventional techniques and assays. The dosing regimen (including theCGRP antagonist(s) used) can vary over time.

For the purpose of the present invention, the appropriate dosage of ananti-CGRP antagonist antibody will depend on the anti-CGRP antagonistantibody (or compositions thereof) employed, the type and severity ofheadache (e.g., migraine) to be treated, whether the agent isadministered for preventive or therapeutic purposes, previous therapy,the patient's clinical history and response to the agent, and thediscretion of the attending physician. Typically the clinician willadminister an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody, until a dosage is reachedthat achieves the desired result. Dose and/or frequency can vary overcourse of treatment.

Empirical considerations, such as the half-life, generally willcontribute to the determination of the dosage. For example, antibodiesthat are compatible with the human immune system, such as humanizedantibodies or fully human antibodies, may be used to prolong half-lifeof the antibody and to prevent the antibody being attacked by the host'simmune system. Frequency of administration may be determined andadjusted over the course of therapy, and is generally, but notnecessarily, based on treatment and/or suppression and/or ameliorationand/or delay of headache (e.g., migraine). Alternatively, sustainedcontinuous release formulations of anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies maybe appropriate. Various formulations and devices for achieving sustainedrelease are known in the art.

In one embodiment, dosages for an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody may bedetermined empirically in individuals who have been given one or moreadministration(s) of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody. Individuals aregiven incremental dosages of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody. To assessefficacy of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody, an indicator of thedisease can be followed.

Administration of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody in accordance withthe method in the present invention can be continuous or intermittent,depending, for example, upon the recipient's physiological condition,whether the purpose of the administration is therapeutic orprophylactic, and other factors known to skilled practitioners. Theadministration of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody may be essentiallycontinuous over a preselected period of time or may be in a series ofspaced dose, e.g., either before, during, or after developing headache(e.g., migraine); before; during; before and after; during and after;before and during; or before, during, and after developing headache.Administration can be before, during and/or after any event likely togive rise to headache.

In some embodiments, more than one anti-CGRP antagonist antibody may bepresent. At least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, atleast five different, or more anti-CGRP antagonist antibody can bepresent. Generally, those anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies may havecomplementary activities that do not adversely affect each other. Anantagonist anti-CGRP antibody can also be used in conjunction with otherCGRP antagonists or CGRP receptor antagonists. For example, one or moreof the following CGRP antagonists may be used: an anti-sense moleculedirected to an CGRP (including an anti-sense molecule directed to anucleic acid encoding CGRP), an CGRP inhibitory compound, an CGRPstructural analog, a dominant-negative mutation of a CGRP receptor thatbinds an CGRP, and an anti-CGRP receptor antibody. An anti-CGRPantagonist antibody can also be used in conjunction with other agentsthat serve to enhance and/or complement the effectiveness of the agents.

Therapeutic formulations of the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody used inaccordance with the present invention are prepared for storage by mixingan antibody having the desired degree of purity with optionalpharmaceutically acceptable carriers, excipients or stabilizers(Remington, The Science and Practice of Pharmacy 20th Ed. MackPublishing (2000)), in the form of lyophilized formulations or aqueoussolutions. Acceptable carriers, excipients, or stabilizers are nontoxicto recipients at the dosages and concentrations employed, and maycomprise buffers such as phosphate, citrate, and other organic acids;salts such as sodium chloride; antioxidants including ascorbic acid andmethionine; preservatives (such as octadecyldimethylbenzyl ammoniumchloride; hexamethonium chloride; benzalkonium chloride, benzethoniumchloride; phenol, butyl or benzyl alcohol; alkyl parabens, such asmethyl or propyl paraben; catechol; resorcinol; cyclohexanol;3-pentanol; and m-cresol); low molecular weight (less than about 10residues) polypeptides; proteins, such as serum albumin, gelatin, orimmunoglobulins; hydrophilic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone;amino acids such as glycine, glutamine, asparagine, histidine, arginine,or lysine; monosacchandes, disaccharides, and other carbohydratesincluding glucose, mannose, or dextrins; chelating agents such as EDTA;sugars such as sucrose, mannitol, trehalose or sorbitol; salt-formingcounter-ions such as sodium; metal complexes (e.g. Zn-proteincomplexes); and/or non-ionic surfactants such as TWEEN™, PLURONICS™ orpolyethylene glycol (PEG).

Liposomes containing the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody are prepared bymethods known in the art, such as described in Epstein, et al., Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:3688 (1985); Hwang, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad.Sci. USA 77:4030 (1980); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,485,045 and 4,544,545.Liposomes with enhanced circulation time are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,013,556. Particularly useful liposomes can be generated by the reversephase evaporation method with a lipid composition comprisingphosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and PEG-derivatizedphosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE). Liposomes are extruded throughfilters of defined pore size to yield liposomes with the desireddiameter.

The active ingredients may also be entrapped in microcapsules prepared,for example, by coacervation techniques or by interfacialpolymerization, for example, hydroxymethylcellulose orgelatin-microcapsules and poly-(methylmethacylate) microcapsules,respectively, in colloidal drug delivery systems (for example,liposomes, albumin microspheres, microemulsions, nano-particles andnanocapsules) or in macroemulsions. Such techniques are disclosed inRemington, The Science and Practice of Pharmacy 20th Ed. Mack Publishing(2000).

Sustained-release preparations may be prepared. Suitable examples ofsustained-release preparations include semipermeable matrices of solidhydrophobic polymers containing the antibody, which matrices are in theform of shaped articles, e.g. films, or microcapsules. Examples ofsustained-release matrices include polyesters, hydrogels (for example,poly(2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate), or ‘poly(v nylalcohol)), polylactides(U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,919), copolymers of L-glutamic acid and 7ethyl-L-glutamate, non-degradable ethylene-vinyl acetate, degradablelactic acid-glycolic acid copolymers such as the LUPRON DEPOT™(injectable microspheres composed of lactic acid-glycolic acid copolymerand leuprolide acetate), sucrose acetate isobutyrate, andpoly-D-(−)-3-hydroxybutyric acid.

The formulations to be used for in vivo administration must be sterile.This is readily accomplished by, for example, filtration through sterilefiltration membranes. Therapeutic anti-CGRP antagonist antibodycompositions are generally placed into a container having a sterileaccess port, for example, an intravenous solution bag or vial having astopper pierceable by a hypodermic injection needle.

The compositions according to the present invention may be in unitdosage forms such as tablets, pills, capsules, powders, granules,solutions or suspensions, or suppositories, for oral, parenteral orrectal administration, or administration by inhalation or insufflation.

For preparing solid compositions such as tablets, the principal activeingredient is mixed with a pharmaceutical carrier, e.g. conventionaltableting ingredients such as corn starch, lactose, sucrose, sorbitol,talc, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, dicalcium phosphate or gums, andother pharmaceutical diluents, e.g. water, to form a solidpreformulation composition containing a homogeneous mixture of acompound of the present invention, or a non-toxic pharmaceuticallyacceptable salt thereof. When referring to these preformulationcompositions as homogeneous, it is meant that the active ingredient isdispersed evenly throughout the composition so that the composition maybe readily subdivided into equally effective unit dosage forms such astablets, pills and capsules. This solid preformulation composition isthen subdivided into unit dosage forms of the type described abovecontaining from 0.1 to about 500 mg of the active ingredient of thepresent invention. The tablets or pills of the novel composition can becoated or otherwise compounded to provide a dosage form affording theadvantage of prolonged action. For example, the tablet or pill cancomprise an inner dosage and an outer dosage component, the latter beingin the form of an envelope over the former. The two components can beseparated by an enteric layer that serves to resist disintegration inthe stomach and permits the inner component to pass intact into theduodenum or to be delayed in release. A variety of materials can be usedfor such enteric layers or coatings, such materials including a numberof polymeric acids and mixtures of polymeric acids with such materialsas shellac, cetyl alcohol and cellulose acetate.

Suitable surface-active agents include, in particular, non-ionic agents,such as polyoxyethylenesorbitans (e.g. Tween™ 20, 40, 60, 80 or 85) andother sorbitans (e.g. Span™ 20, 40, 60, 80 or 85). Compositions with asurface-active agent will conveniently comprise between 0.05 and 5%surface-active agent, and can be between 0.1 and 2.5%. It will beappreciated that other ingredients may be added, for example mannitol orother pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles, if necessary.

Suitable emulsions may be prepared using commercially available fatemulsions, such as Liposyn™, Infonutrol™, Lipofundin™ and Lipiphysan™.The active ingredient may be either dissolved in a pre-mixed emulsioncomposition or alternatively it may be dissolved in an oil (e.g. soybeanoil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, sesame oil, corn oil or almond oil)and an emulsion formed upon mixing with a phospholipid (e.g. eggphospholipids, soybean phospholipids or soybean lecithin) and water. Itwill be appreciated that other ingredients may be added, for examplegylcerol or glucose, to adjust the tonicity of the emulsion. Suitableemulsions will typically contain up to 20% oil, for example, between 5and 20%. The fat emulsion can comprise fat droplets between 0.1 and 1.0μm, particularly 0.1 and 0.5 μm, and have a pH in the range of 5.5 to8.0.

The emulsion compositions can be those prepared by mixing an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody with Intralipid™ or the components thereof (soybeanoil, egg phospholipids, glycerol and water).

Compositions for inhalation or insufflation include solutions andsuspensions in pharmaceutically acceptable, aqueous or organic solvents,or mixtures thereof, and powders. The liquid or solid compositions maycontain suitable pharmaceutically acceptable excipients as set outabove. In some embodiments, the compositions are administered by theoral or nasal respiratory route for local or systemic effect.Compositions in preferably sterile pharmaceutically acceptable solventsmay be nebulised by use of gases. Nebulised solutions may be breatheddirectly from the nebulising device or the nebulising device may beattached to a face mask, tent or intermittent positive pressurebreathing machine. Solution, suspension or powder compositions may beadministered, preferably orally or nasally, from devices which deliverthe formulation in an appropriate manner.

Diagnosis or assessment of headache is well-established in the art.Assessment may be performed based on subjective measures, such aspatient characterization of symptoms. For example, migraine may bediagnosed based on the following criteria: 1) episodic attacks ofheadache lasting 4 to 72 hours; 2) with two of the following symptoms:unilateral pain, throbbing, aggravation on movement, and pain ofmoderate or severe intensity; and 3) one of the following symptoms:nausea or vomiting, and photophobia or phonophobia. Goadsby et al., N.Engl. J. Med. 346:257-270, 2002.

Treatment efficacy can be assessed by methods well-known in the art. Forexample, pain relief may be assessed. Accordingly, in some embodiments,pain relief is subjectively observed after 1, 2, or a few hours afteradministering an anti-CGRP antibody. In some embodiments, frequency ofheadache attacks is subjectively observed after administering ananti-CGRP antibody.

B. Anti-CGRP Antagonist Antibodies

The methods of the invention use an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody, whichrefers to any antibody molecule that blocks, suppresses or reduces(including significantly) CGRP biological activity, including downstreampathways mediated by CGRP signaling, such as receptor binding and/orelicitation of a cellular response to CGRP.

An anti-CGRP antagonist antibody should exhibit any one or more of thefollowing characteristics: (a) bind to CGRP; (b) block CGRP from bindingto its receptor(s); (c) block or decrease CGRP receptor activation(including cAMP activation); (d) inhibit CGRP biological activity ordownstream pathways mediated by CGRP signaling function; (e) prevent,ameliorate, or treat any aspect of headache (e.g., migraine); (f)increase clearance of CGRP; and (g) inhibit (reduce) CGRP synthesis,production or release. Anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies are known in theart. See, e.g., Tan et al., Clin. Sci. (Lond). 89:565-73, 1995; Sigma(Missouri, US), product number C7113 (clone #4901); Plourde et al.,Peptides 14:1225-1229, 1993.

For purposes of this invention, the antibody reacts with CGRP in amanner that inhibits CGRP and/or downstream pathways mediated by theCGRP signaling function. In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonistantibody recognizes human CGRP. In some embodiments, the anti-CGRPantagonist antibody binds to both human α-CGRP and β-CGRP. In someembodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody binds human and rat CGRP.In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody binds theC-terminal fragment having amino acids 25-37 of CGRP. In someembodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody binds a C-terminalepitope within amino acids 25-37 of CGRP.

The antibodies useful in the present invention can encompass monoclonalantibodies, polyclonal antibodies, antibody fragments (e.g., Fab, Fab′,F(ab′)2, Fv, Fc, etc.), chimeric antibodies, bispecific antibodies,heteroconjugate antibodies, single chain (ScFv), mutants thereof, fusionproteins comprising an antibody portion (e.g., a domain antibody),humanized antibodies, and any other modified configuration of theimmunoglobulin molecule that comprises an antigen recognition site ofthe required specificity, including glycosylation variants ofantibodies, amino acid sequence variants of antibodies, and covalentlymodified antibodies. The antibodies may be murine, rat, human, or anyother origin (including chimeric or humanized antibodies).

In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is a monoclonalantibody. In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody ishumanized. In some embodiments, the antibody is human. In someembodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is antibody G1 (asdescribed herein). In some embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonistantibody comprises one or more CDR(s) (such as one, two, three, four,five, or, in some embodiments, all six CDRs) of antibody G1 or variantsof G1 shown in Table 6. In still other embodiments, the anti-CGRPantagonist antibody comprises the amino acid sequence of the heavy chainvariable region shown in FIG. 5 (SEQ ID NO:1) and the amino acidsequence of the light chain variable region shown in FIG. 5 (SEQ IDNO:2).

In some embodiments, the antibody comprises a modified constant region,such as a constant region that is immunologically inert describedherein. In some embodiments, the constant region is modified asdescribed in Eur. J. Immunol. (1999) 29:2613-2624; PCT Application No.PCT/GB99/01441; and/or UK Patent Application No. 9809951.8. In otherembodiments, the antibody comprises a human heavy chain IgG2 constantregion comprising the following mutations: A330P331 to S330S331 (aminoacid numbering with reference to the wildtype IgG2 sequence). Eur. J.Immunol. (1999) 29:2613-2624. In some embodiments, the antibodycomprises a constant region of IgG4 comprising the following mutations:E233F234L235 to P233V234A235. In still other embodiments, the constantregion is aglycosylated for N-linked glycosylation. In some embodiments,the constant region is aglycosylated for N-linked glycosylation bymutating the oligosaccharide attachment residue (such as Asn297) and/orflanking residues that are part of the N-glycosylation recognitionsequence in the constant region. In some embodiments, the constantregion is aglycosylated for N-linked glycosylation. The constant regionmay be aglycosylated for N-linked glycosylation enzymatically or byexpression in a glycosylation deficient host cell.

The binding affinity (K_(D)) of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody to CGRP(such as human α-CGRP) can be about 0.02 to about 200 nM. In someembodiments, the binding affinity is any of about 200 nM, about 100 nM,about 50 nM, about 10 nM, about 1 nM, about 500 pM, about 100 pM, about60 pM, about 50 pM, about 20 pM, about 15 pM, about 10 pM, about 5 pM,or about 2 pM. In some embodiments, the binding affinity is less thanany of about 250 nM, about 200 nM, about 100 nM, about 50 nM, about 10nM, about 1 nM, about 500 pM, about 100 pM, or about 50 pM.

One way of determining binding affinity of antibodies to CGRP is bymeasuring binding affinity of monofunctional Fab fragments of theantibody. To obtain monofunctional Fab fragments, an antibody (forexample, IgG) can be cleaved with papain or expressed recombinantly. Theaffinity of an anti-CGRP Fab fragment of an antibody can be determinedby surface plasmon resonance (Biacore3000™ surface plasmon resonance(SPR) system, Biacore, INC, Piscataway N.J.) equipped withpre-immobilized streptavidin sensor chips (SA) using HBS-EP runningbuffer (0.01M HEPES, pH 7.4, 0.15 NaCl, 3 mM EDTA, 0.005% v/v SurfactantP20). Biotinylated human CGRP (or any other CGRP) can be diluted intoHBS-EP buffer to a concentration of less than 0.5 ug/mL and injectedacross the individual chip channels using variable contact times, toachieve two ranges of antigen density, either 50-200 response units (RU)for detailed kinetic studies or 800-1,000 RU for screening assays.Regeneration studies have shown that 25 mM NaOH in 25% v/v ethanoleffectively removes the bound Fab while keeping the activity of CGRP onthe chip for over 200 injections. Typically, serial dilutions (spanningconcentrations of 0.1-10× estimated K_(D)) of purified Fab samples areinjected for 1 min at 100 μL/minute and dissociation times of up to 2hours are allowed. The concentrations of the Fab proteins are determinedby ELISA and/or SDS-PAGE electrophoresis using a Fab of knownconcentration (as determined by amino acid analysis) as a standard.Kinetic association rates (k_(on)) and dissociation rates (k_(off)) areobtained simultaneously by fitting the data globally to a 1:1 Langmuirbinding model (Karlsson, R. Roos, H. Fagerstam, L. Petersson, B. (1994).Methods Enzymology 6. 99-110) using the BIAevaluation program.Equilibrium dissociation constant (K_(D)) values are calculated ask_(off)/k_(on). This protocol is suitable for use in determining bindingaffinity of an antibody to any CGRP, including human CGRP, CGRP ofanother mammalian (such as mouse CGRP, rat CGRP, primate CGRP), as wellas different forms of CGRP (such as α and β form). Binding affinity ofan antibody is generally measured at 25° C., but can also be measured at37° C.

The anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies may be made by any method known inthe art. The route and schedule of immunization of the host animal aregenerally in keeping with established and conventional techniques forantibody stimulation and production, as further described herein.General techniques for production of human and mouse antibodies areknown in the art and are described herein.

It is contemplated that any mammalian subject including humans orantibody producing cells therefrom can be manipulated to serve as thebasis for production of mammalian, including human, hybridoma celllines. Typically, the host animal is inoculated intraperitoneally,intramuscularly, orally, subcutaneously, intraplantar, and/orintradermally with an amount of immunogen, including as describedherein.

Hybridomas can be prepared from the lymphocytes and immortalized myelomacells using the general somatic cell hybridization technique of Kohler,B. and Milstein, C. (1975) Nature 256:495-497 or as modified by Buck, D.W., et al., In Vitro, 18:377-381 (1982). Available myeloma lines,including but not limited to X63-Ag8.653 and those from the SalkInstitute, Cell Distribution Center, San Diego, Calif., USA, may be usedin the hybridization. Generally, the technique involves fusing myelomacells and lymphoid cells using a fusogen such as polyethylene glycol, orby electrical means well known to those skilled in the art. After thefusion, the cells are separated from the fusion medium and grown in aselective growth medium, such as hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine(HAT) medium, to eliminate unhybridized parent cells. Any of the mediadescribed herein, supplemented with or without serum, can be used forculturing hybridomas that secrete monoclonal antibodies. As anotheralternative to the cell fusion technique, EBV immortalized B cells maybe used to produce the anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies of the subjectinvention. The hybridomas are expanded and subcloned, if desired, andsupernatants are assayed for anti-immunogen activity by conventionalimmunoassay procedures (e.g., radioimmunoassay, enzyme immunoassay, orfluorescence immunoassay).

Hybridomas that may be used as source of antibodies encompass allderivatives, progeny cells of the parent hybridomas that producemonoclonal antibodies specific for CGRP, or a portion thereof.

Hybridomas that produce such antibodies may be grown in vitro or in vivousing known procedures. The monoclonal antibodies may be isolated fromthe culture media or body fluids, by conventional immunoglobulinpurification procedures such as ammonium sulfate precipitation, gelelectrophoresis, dialysis, chromatography, and ultrafiltration, ifdesired. Undesired activity if present, can be removed, for example, byrunning the preparation over adsorbents made of the immunogen attachedto a solid phase and eluting or releasing the desired antibodies off theimmunogen. Immunization of a host animal with a human CGRP, or afragment containing the target amino acid sequence conjugated to aprotein that is immunogenic in the species to be immunized, e.g.,keyhole limpet hemocyanin, serum albumin, bovine thyroglobulin, orsoybean trypsin inhibitor using a bifunctional or derivatizing agent,for example maleimidobenzoyl sulfosuccinimide ester (conjugation throughcysteine residues), N-hydroxysuccinimide (through lysine residues),glutaradehyde, succinic anhydride, SOCl2, or R1N═C═NR, where R and R1are different alkyl groups, can yield a population of antibodies (e.g.,monoclonal antibodies).

If desired, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody (monoclonal or polyclonal)of interest may be sequenced and the polynucleotide sequence may then becloned into a vector for expression or propagation. The sequenceencoding the antibody of interest may be maintained in vector in a hostcell and the host cell can then be expanded and frozen for future use.In an alternative, the polynucleotide sequence may be used for geneticmanipulation to “humanize” the antibody or to improve the affinity, orother characteristics of the antibody. For example, the constant regionmay be engineered to more resemble human constant regions to avoidimmune response if the antibody is used in clinical trials andtreatments in humans. It may be desirable to genetically manipulate theantibody sequence to obtain greater affinity to CGRP and greaterefficacy in inhibiting CGRP. It will be apparent to one of skill in theart that one or more polynucleotide changes can be made to the anti-CGRPantagonist antibody and still maintain its binding ability to CGRP.

There are four general steps to humanize a monoclonal antibody. Theseare: (1) determining the nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequence ofthe starting antibody light and heavy variable domains (2) designing thehumanized antibody, i.e., deciding which antibody framework region touse during the humanizing process (3) the actual humanizingmethodologies/techniques and (4) the transfection and expression of thehumanized antibody. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,816,567;5,807,715; 5,866,692; 6,331,415; 5,530,101; 5,693,761; 5,693,762;5,585,089; and 6,180,370.

A number of “humanized” antibody molecules comprising an antigen-bindingsite derived from a non-human immunoglobulin have been described,including chimeric antibodies having rodent or modified rodent V regionsand their associated complementarity determining regions (CDRs) fused tohuman constant domains. See, for example, Winter et al. Nature349:293-299 (1991), Lobuglio et al. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA86:4220-4224 (1989), Shaw et al. J. Immunol. 138:4534-4538 (1987), andBrown et al. Cancer Res. 47:3577-3583 (1987). Other references describerodent CDRs grafted into a human supporting framework region (FR) priorto fusion with an appropriate human antibody constant domain. See, forexample, Riechmann et al. Nature 332:323-327 (1988), Verhoeyen et al.Science 239:1534-1536 (1988), and Jones et al. Nature 321:522-525(1986). Another reference describes rodent CDRs supported byrecombinantly veneered rodent framework regions. See, for example,European Patent Publication No. 0519596. These “humanized” molecules aredesigned to minimize unwanted immunological response toward rodentanti-human antibody molecules which limits the duration andeffectiveness of therapeutic applications of those moieties in humanrecipients. For example, the antibody constant region can be engineeredsuch that it is immunologically inert (e.g., does not trigger complementlysis). See, e.g. PCT Publication No. PCT/GB99/01441; UK PatentApplication No. 9809951.8. Other methods of humanizing antibodies thatmay also be utilized are disclosed by Daugherty et al., Nucl. Acids Res.19:2471-2476 (1991) and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,180,377; 6,054,297;5,997,867; 5,866,692; 6,210,671; and 6,350,861; and in PCT PublicationNo. WO 01/27160.

In yet another alternative, fully human antibodies may be obtained byusing commercially available mice that have been engineered to expressspecific human immunoglobulin proteins. Transgenic animals that aredesigned to produce a more desirable (e.g., fully human antibodies) ormore robust immune response may also be used for generation of humanizedor human antibodies. Examples of such technology are Xenomouse™ fromAbgenix, Inc. (Fremont, Calif.) and HuMAb-Mouse® and TC Mouse™ fromMedarex, Inc. (Princeton, N.J.).

In an alternative, antibodies may be made recombinantly and expressedusing any method known in the art. In another alternative, antibodiesmay be made recombinantly by phage display technology. See, for example,U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,565,332; 5,580,717; 5,733,743; and 6,265,150; andWinter et al., Annu. Rev. Immunol. 12:433-455 (1994). Alternatively, thephage display technology (McCafferty et al., Nature 348:552-553 (1990))can be used to produce human antibodies and antibody fragments in vitro,from immunoglobulin variable (V) domain gene repertoires fromunimmunized donors. According to this technique, antibody V domain genesare cloned in-frame into either a major or minor coat protein gene of afilamentous bacteriophage, such as M13 or fd, and displayed asfunctional antibody fragments on the surface of the phage particle.Because the filamentous particle contains a single-stranded DNA copy ofthe phage genome, selections based on the functional properties of theantibody also result in selection of the gene encoding the antibodyexhibiting those properties. Thus, the phage mimics some of theproperties of the B cell. Phage display can be performed in a variety offormats; for review see, e.g., Johnson, Kevin S, and Chiswell, David J.,Current Opinion in Structural Biology 3:564-571 (1993). Several sourcesof V-gene segments can be used for phage display. Clackson et al.,Nature 352:624-628 (1991) isolated a diverse array of anti-oxazoloneantibodies from a small random combinatorial library of V genes derivedfrom the spleens of immunized mice. A repertoire of V genes fromunimmunized human donors can be constructed and antibodies to a diversearray of antigens (including self-antigens) can be isolated essentiallyfollowing the techniques described by Mark et al., J. Mol. Biol.222:581-597 (1991), or Griffith et al., EMBO J. 12:725-734 (1993). In anatural immune response, antibody genes accumulate mutations at a highrate (somatic hypermutation). Some of the changes introduced will conferhigher affinity, and B cells displaying high-affinity surfaceimmunoglobulin are preferentially replicated and differentiated duringsubsequent antigen challenge. This natural process can be mimicked byemploying the technique known as “chain shuffling.” Marks, et al.,Bio/Technol. 10:779-783 (1992)). In this method, the affinity of“primary” human antibodies obtained by phage display can be improved bysequentially replacing the heavy and light chain V region genes withrepertoires of naturally occurring variants (repertoires) of V domaingenes obtained from unimmunized donors. This technique allows theproduction of antibodies and antibody fragments with affinities in thepM-nM range. A strategy for making very large phage antibody repertoires(also known as “the mother-of-all libraries”) has been described byWaterhouse et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 21:2265-2266 (1993). Gene shufflingcan also be used to derive human antibodies from rodent antibodies,where the human antibody has similar affinities and specificities to thestarting rodent antibody. According to this method, which is alsoreferred to as “epitope imprinting”, the heavy or light chain V domaingene of rodent antibodies obtained by phage display technique isreplaced with a repertoire of human V domain genes, creatingrodent-human chimeras. Selection on antigen results in isolation ofhuman variable regions capable of restoring a functional antigen-bindingsite, i.e., the epitope governs (imprints) the choice of partner. Whenthe process is repeated in order to replace the remaining rodent Vdomain, a human antibody is obtained (see PCT Publication No. WO93/06213, published Apr. 1, 1993). Unlike traditional humanization ofrodent antibodies by CDR grafting, this technique provides completelyhuman antibodies, which have no framework or CDR residues of rodentorigin.

It is apparent that although the above discussion pertains to humanizedantibodies, the general principles discussed are applicable tocustomizing antibodies for use, for example, in dogs, cats, primate,equines and bovines. It is further apparent that one or more aspects ofhumanizing an antibody described herein may be combined, e.g., CDRgrafting, framework mutation and CDR mutation.

Antibodies may be made recombinantly by first isolating the antibodiesand antibody producing cells from host animals, obtaining the genesequence, and using the gene sequence to express the antibodyrecombinantly in host cells (e.g., CHO cells). Another method which maybe employed is to express the antibody sequence in plants (e.g.,tobacco) or transgenic milk. Methods for expressing antibodiesrecombinantly in plants or milk have been disclosed. See, for example,Peeters, et al. Vaccine 19:2756 (2001); Lonberg, N. and D. Huszar Int.Rev. Immunol 13:65 (1995); and Pollock, et al., J Immunol Methods231:147 (1999). Methods for making derivatives of antibodies, e.g.,humanized, single chain, etc. are known in the art.

Immunoassays and flow cytometry sorting techniques such as fluorescenceactivated cell sorting (FACS) can also be employed to isolate antibodiesthat are specific for CGRP.

The antibodies can be bound to many different carriers. Carriers can beactive and/or inert. Examples of well-known carriers includepolypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, dextran, nylon, amylases,glass, natural and modified celluloses, polyacrylamides, agaroses andmagnetite. The nature of the carrier can be either soluble or insolublefor purposes of the invention. Those skilled in the art will know ofother suitable carriers for binding antibodies, or will be able toascertain such, using routine experimentation. In some embodiments, thecarrier comprises a moiety that targets the myocardium.

DNA encoding the monoclonal antibodies is readily isolated and sequencedusing conventional procedures (e.g., by using oligonucleotide probesthat are capable of binding specifically to genes encoding the heavy andlight chains of the monoclonal antibodies). The hybridoma cells serve asa preferred source of such DNA. Once isolated, the DNA may be placedinto expression vectors (such as expression vectors disclosed in PCTPublication No. WO 87/04462), which are then transfected into host cellssuch as E. coli cells, simian COS cells, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)cells, or myeloma cells that do not otherwise produce immunoglobulinprotein, to obtain the synthesis of monoclonal antibodies in therecombinant host cells. See, e.g., PCT Publication No. WO 87/04462. TheDNA also may be modified, for example, by substituting the codingsequence for human heavy and light chain constant domains in place ofthe homologous murine sequences, Morrison et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci.81:6851 (1984), or by covalently joining to the immunoglobulin codingsequence all or part of the coding sequence for a non-immunoglobulinpolypeptide. In that manner, “chimeric” or “hybrid” antibodies areprepared that have the binding specificity of an anti-CGRP monoclonalantibody herein.

Anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies and polypeptides derived from antibodiescan be identified or characterized using methods known in the art,whereby reduction, amelioration, or neutralization of an CGRP biologicalactivity is detected and/or measured. For example, anti-CGRP antagonistantibody can also be identified by incubating a candidate agent withCGRP and monitoring any one or more of the following characteristics:(a) bind to CGRP; (b) block CGRP from binding to its receptor(s); (c)block or decrease CGRP receptor activation (including cAMP activation);(d) inhibit CGRP biological activity or downstream pathways mediated byCGRP signaling function; (e) prevent, ameliorate, or treat any aspect ofheadache (e.g., migraine); (f) increase clearance of CGRP; and (g)inhibit (reduce) CGRP synthesis, production or release. In someembodiments, an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody or polypeptide isidentified by incubating a candidate agent with CGRP and monitoringbinding and/or attendant reduction or neutralization of a biologicalactivity of CGRP. The binding assay may be performed with purified CGRPpolypeptide(s), or with cells naturally expressing, or transfected toexpress, CGRP polypeptide(s). In one embodiment, the binding assay is acompetitive binding assay, where the ability of a candidate antibody tocompete with a known anti-CGRP antagonist for CGRP binding is evaluated.The assay may be performed in various formats, including the ELISAformat. In other embodiments, an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody isidentified by incubating a candidate agent with CGRP and monitoringbinding and attendant inhibition of CGRP receptor activation expressedon the surface of a cell.

Following initial identification, the activity of a candidate anti-CGRPantagonist antibody can be further confirmed and refined by bioassays,known to test the targeted biological activities. Alternatively,bioassays can be used to screen candidates directly. For example, CGRPpromotes a number of measurable changes in responsive cells. Theseinclude, but are not limited to, stimulation of cAMP in the cell (e.g.,SK-N-MC cells). Antagonist activity may also be measured using animalmodels, such as measuring skin vasodilatation induced by stimulation ofthe rat saphenous nerve. Escott et al., Br. J. Pharmacol. 110: 772-776,1993. Animal models of headaches (such as, migraine) may further be usedfor testing efficacy of antagonist antibodies or polypeptides. Reuter,et al., Functional Neurology (15) Suppl. 3, 2000. Some of the methodsfor identifying and characterizing anti-CGRP antagonist antibody orpolypeptide are described in detail in the Examples.

Anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies may be characterized using methods wellknown in the art. For example, one method is to identify the epitope towhich it binds, or “epitope mapping.” There are many methods known inthe art for mapping and characterizing the location of epitopes onproteins, including solving the crystal structure of an antibody-antigencomplex, competition assays, gene fragment expression assays, andsynthetic peptide-based assays, as described, for example, in Chapter 11of Harlow and Lane, Using Antibodies, a Laboratory Manual, Cold SpringHarbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1999. In anadditional example, epitope mapping can be used to determine thesequence to which an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody binds. Epitopemapping is commercially available from various sources, for example,Pepscan Systems (Edelhertweg 15, 8219 PH Lelystad, The Netherlands). Theepitope can be a linear epitope, i.e., contained in a single stretch ofamino acids, or a conformational epitope formed by a three-dimensionalinteraction of amino acids that may not necessarily be contained in asingle stretch. Peptides of varying lengths (e.g., at least 4-6 aminoacids long) can be isolated or synthesized (e.g., recombinantly) andused for binding assays with an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody. Inanother example, the epitope to which the anti-CGRP antagonist antibodybinds can be determined in a systematic screening by using overlappingpeptides derived from the CGRP sequence and determining binding by theanti-CGRP antagonist antibody. According to the gene fragment expressionassays, the open reading frame encoding CGRP is fragmented eitherrandomly or by specific genetic constructions and the reactivity of theexpressed fragments of CGRP with the antibody to be tested isdetermined. The gene fragments may, for example, be produced by PCR andthen transcribed and translated into protein in vitro, in the presenceof radioactive amino acids. The binding of the antibody to theradioactively labeled CGRP fragments is then determined byimmunoprecipitation and gel electrophoresis. Certain epitopes can alsobe identified by using large libraries of random peptide sequencesdisplayed on the surface of phage particles (phage libraries).Alternatively, a defined library of overlapping peptide fragments can betested for binding to the test antibody in simple binding assays. In anadditional example, mutagenesis of an antigen binding domain, domainswapping experiments and alanine scanning mutagenesis can be performedto identify residues required, sufficient, and/or necessary for epitopebinding. For example, domain swapping experiments can be performed usinga mutant CGRP in which various fragments of the CGRP polypeptide havebeen replaced (swapped) with sequences from a closely related, butantigenically distinct protein (such as another member of theneurotrophin protein family). By assessing binding of the antibody tothe mutant CGRP, the importance of the particular CGRP fragment toantibody binding can be assessed.

Yet another method which can be used to characterize an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody is to use competition assays with other antibodiesknown to bind to the same antigen, i.e., various fragments on CGRP, todetermine if the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody binds to the same epitopeas other antibodies. Competition assays are well known to those of skillin the art.

An expression vector can be used to direct expression of an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody. One skilled in the art is familiar withadministration of expression vectors to obtain expression of anexogenous protein in vivo. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,436,908;6,413,942; and 6,376,471. Administration of expression vectors includeslocal or systemic administration, including injection, oraladministration, particle gun or catheterized administration, and topicaladministration. In another embodiment, the expression vector isadministered directly to the sympathetic trunk or ganglion, or into acoronary artery, atrium, ventrical, or pericardium.

Targeted delivery of therapeutic compositions containing an expressionvector, or subgenomic polynucleotides can also be used.Receptor-mediated DNA delivery techniques are described in, for example,Findeis et al., Trends Biotechnol. (1993) 11:202; Chiou et al., GeneTherapeutics: Methods And Applications Of Direct Gene Transfer (J. A.Wolff, ed.) (1994); Wu et al., J. Biol. Chem. (1988) 263:621; Wu et al.,J. Biol. Chem. (1994) 269:542; Zenke et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA(1990) 87:3655; Wu et al., J. Biol. Chem. (1991) 266:338. Therapeuticcompositions containing a polynucleotide are administered in a range ofabout 100 ng to about 200 mg of DNA for local administration in a genetherapy protocol. Concentration ranges of about 500 ng to about 50 mg,about 1 μg to about 2 mg, about 5 μg to about 500 μg, and about 20 μg toabout 100 μg of DNA can also be used during a gene therapy protocol. Thetherapeutic polynucleotides and polypeptides can be delivered using genedelivery vehicles. The gene delivery vehicle can be of viral ornon-viral origin (see generally, Jolly, Cancer Gene Therapy (1994) 1:51;Kimura, Human Gene Therapy (1994) 5:845; Connelly, Human Gene Therapy(1995) 1:185; and Kaplitt, Nature Genetics (1994) 6:148). Expression ofsuch coding sequences can be induced using endogenous mammalian orheterologous promoters. Expression of the coding sequence can be eitherconstitutive or regulated.

Viral-based vectors for delivery of a desired polynucleotide andexpression in a desired cell are well known in the art. Exemplaryviral-based vehicles include, but are not limited to, recombinantretroviruses (see, e.g., PCT Publication Nos. WO 90/07936; WO 94/03622;WO 93/25698; WO 93/25234; WO 93/11230; WO 93/10218; WO 91/02805; U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,219,740 and 4,777,127; GB Patent No. 2,200,651; and EPPatent No. 0 345 242), alphavirus-based vectors (e.g., Sindbis virusvectors, Semliki forest virus (ATCC VR-67; ATCC VR-1247), Ross Rivervirus (ATCC VR-373; ATCC VR-1246) and Venezuelan equine encephalitisvirus (ATCC VR-923; ATCC VR-1250; ATCC VR 1249; ATCC VR-532)), andadeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors (see, e.g., PCT Publication Nos. WO94/12649, WO 93/03769; WO 93/19191; WO 94/28938; WO 95/11984 and WO95/00655). Administration of DNA linked to killed adenovirus asdescribed in Curiel, Hum. Gene Ther. (1992) 3:147 can also be employed.

Non-viral delivery vehicles and methods can also be employed, including,but not limited to, polycationic condensed DNA linked or unlinked tokilled adenovirus alone (see, e.g., Curiel, Hum. Gene Ther. (1992)3:147); ligand-linked DNA (see, e.g., Wu, J. Biol. Chem. (1989)264:16985); eukaryotic cell delivery vehicles cells (see, e.g., U.S.Pat. No. 5,814,482; PCT Publication Nos. WO 95/07994; WO 96/17072; WO95/30763; and WO 97/42338) and nucleic charge neutralization or fusionwith cell membranes. Naked DNA can also be employed. Exemplary naked DNAintroduction methods are described in PCT Publication No. WO 90/11092and U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,859. Liposomes that can act as gene deliveryvehicles are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,120; PCT Publication Nos.WO 95/13796; WO 94/23697; WO 91/14445; and EP 0524968. Additionalapproaches are described in Philip, Mol. Cell. Biol. (1994) 14:2411, andin Woffendin, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (1994) 91:1581.

C. Antibody G1 and Related Antibodies, Polypeptides, Polynucleotides,Vectors and Host Cells

This invention encompasses compositions, including pharmaceuticalcompositions, comprising antibody G1 and its variants shown in Table 6or polypeptide derived from antibody G1 and its variants shown in Table6; and polynucleotides comprising sequences encoding G1 and its variantsor the polypeptide. As used herein, compositions comprise one or moreantibodies or polypeptides (which may or may not be an antibody) thatbind to CGRP, and/or one or more polynucleotides comprising sequencesencoding one or more antibodies or polypeptides that bind to CGRP. Thesecompositions may further comprise suitable excipients, such aspharmaceutically acceptable excipients including buffers, which are wellknown in the art.

The anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies and polypeptides of the inventionare characterized by any (one or more) of the following characteristics:(a) bind to CGRP; (b) block CGRP from binding to its receptor(s); (c)block or decrease CGRP receptor activation (including cAMP activation);(d) inhibit CGRP biological activity or downstream pathways mediated byCGRP signaling function; (e) prevent, ameliorate, or treat any aspect ofheadache (e.g., migraine); (f) increase clearance of CGRP; and (g)inhibit (reduce) CGRP synthesis, production or release.

Accordingly, the invention provides any of the following, orcompositions (including pharmaceutical compositions) comprising any ofthe following: (a) antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; (b) afragment or a region of antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6;(c) a light chain of antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; (d) aheavy chain of antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; (e) one ormore variable region(s) from a light chain and/or a heavy chain ofantibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; (f) one or more CDR(s)(one, two, three, four, five or six CDRs) of antibody G1 or its variantsshown in Table 6; (g) CDR H3 from the heavy chain of antibody G1; (h)CDR L3 from the light chain of antibody G1 or its variants shown inTable 6; (i) three CDRs from the light chain of antibody G1 or itsvariants shown in Table 6; (j) three CDRs from the heavy chain ofantibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; (k) three CDRs from thelight chain and three CDRs from the heavy chain, of antibody G1 or itsvariants shown in Table 6; and (l) an antibody comprising any one of (b)through (k). The invention also provides polypeptides comprising any oneor more of the above.

The CDR portions of antibody G1 (including Chothia and Kabat CDRs) arediagrammatically depicted in FIG. 5. Determination of CDR regions iswell within the skill of the art. It is understood that in someembodiments, CDRs can be a combination of the Kabat and Chothia CDR(also termed “combined CDRs” or “extended CDRs”). In some embodiments,the CDRs are the Kabat CDRs. In other embodiments, the CDRs are theChothia CDRs. In other words, in embodiments with more than one CDR, theCDRs may be any of Kabat, Chothia, combination CDRs, or combinationsthereof.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a polypeptide (which may ormay not be an antibody) which comprises at least one CDR, at least two,at least three, or at least four, at least five, or all six CDRs thatare substantially identical to at least one CDR, at least two, at leastthree, at least four, at least five or all six CDRs of G1 or itsvariants shown in Table 6. Other embodiments include antibodies whichhave at least two, three, four, five, or six CDR(s) that aresubstantially identical to at least two, three, four, five or six CDRsof G1 or derived from G1. In some embodiments, the at least one, two,three, four, five, or six CDR(s) are at least about 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%,89%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identical to at least one, two,three, four, five or six CDRs of G1 or its variants shown in Table 6. Itis understood that, for purposes of this invention, binding specificityand/or overall activity is generally retained, although the extent ofactivity may vary compared to G1 or its variants shown in Table 6 (maybe greater or lesser).

The invention also provides a polypeptide (which may or may not be anantibody) which comprises an amino acid sequence of G1 or its variantsshown in Table 6 that has any of the following: at least 5 contiguousamino acids, at least 8 contiguous amino acids, at least about 10contiguous amino acids, at least about 15 contiguous amino acids, atleast about 20 contiguous amino acids, at least about 25 contiguousamino acids, at least about 30 contiguous amino acids of a sequence ofG1 or its variants shown in Table 6, wherein at least 3 of the aminoacids are from a variable region of G1 (FIG. 5) or its variants shown inTable 6. In one embodiment, the variable region is from a light chain ofG1. In another embodiment, the variable region is from a heavy chain ofG1. An exemplary polypeptide has contiguous amino acid (lengthsdescribed above) from both the heavy and light chain variable regions ofG1. In another embodiment, the 5 (or more) contiguous amino acids arefrom a complementarity determining region (CDR) of G1 shown in FIG. 5.In some embodiments, the contiguous amino acids are from a variableregion of G1.

The binding affinity (K_(D)) of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody andpolypeptide to CGRP (such as human α-CGRP) can be about 0.06 to about200 nM. In some embodiments, the binding affinity is any of about 200nM, 100 nM, about 50 nM, about 10 nM, about 1 nM, about 500 pM, about100 pM, about 60 pM, about 50 pM, about 20 pM, about 15 pM, about 10 pM,about 5 pM, or about 2 pM. In some embodiments, the binding affinity isless than any of about 250 nM, about 200 nM, about 100 nM, about 50 nM,about 10 nM, about 1 nM, about 500 pM, about 100 pM, or about 50 pM.

The invention also provides methods of making any of these antibodies orpolypeptides. The antibodies of this invention can be made by proceduresknown in the art. The polypeptides can be produced by proteolytic orother degradation of the antibodies, by recombinant methods (i.e.,single or fusion polypeptides) as described above or by chemicalsynthesis. Polypeptides of the antibodies, especially shorterpolypeptides up to about 50 amino acids, are conveniently made bychemical synthesis. Methods of chemical synthesis are known in the artand are commercially available. For example, an antibody could beproduced by an automated polypeptide synthesizer employing the solidphase method. See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,807,715; 4,816,567; and6,331,415.

In another alternative, the antibodies can be made recombinantly usingprocedures that are well known in the art. In one embodiment, apolynucleotide comprises a sequence encoding the heavy chain and/or thelight chain variable regions of antibody G1 shown in SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQID NO:10. In another embodiment, the polynucleotide comprising thenucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10 are clonedinto one or more vectors for expression or propagation. The sequenceencoding the antibody of interest may be maintained in a vector in ahost cell and the host cell can then be expanded and frozen for futureuse. Vectors (including expression vectors) and host cells are furtherdescribed herein.

The invention also encompasses single chain variable region fragments(“scFv”) of antibodies of this invention, such as G1. Single chainvariable region fragments are made by linking light and/or heavy chainvariable regions by using a short linking peptide. Bird et al. (1988)Science 242:423-426. An example of a linking peptide is (GGGGS)3 whichbridges approximately 3.5 nm between the carboxy terminus of onevariable region and the amino terminus of the other variable region.Linkers of other sequences have been designed and used. Bird et al.(1988). Linkers can in turn be modified for additional functions, suchas attachment of drugs or attachment to solid supports. The single chainvariants can be produced either recombinantly or synthetically. Forsynthetic production of scFv, an automated synthesizer can be used. Forrecombinant production of scFv, a suitable plasmid containingpolynucleotide that encodes the scFv can be introduced into a suitablehost cell, either eukaryotic, such as yeast, plant, insect or mammaliancells, or prokaryotic, such as E. coli. Polynucleotides encoding thescFv of interest can be made by routine manipulations such as ligationof polynucleotides. The resultant scFv can be isolated using standardprotein purification techniques known in the art.

Other forms of single chain antibodies, such as diabodies are alsoencompassed. Diabodies are bivalent, bispecific antibodies in which VHand VL domains are expressed on a single polypeptide chain, but using alinker that is too short to allow for pairing between the two domains onthe same chain, thereby forcing the domains to pair with complementarydomains of another chain and creating two antigen binding sites (seee.g., Holliger, P., et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA90:6444-6448; Poljak, R. J., et al. (1994) Structure 2:1121-1123).

For example, bispecific antibodies, monoclonal antibodies that havebinding specificities for at least two different antigens, can beprepared using the antibodies disclosed herein. Methods for makingbispecific antibodies are known in the art (see, e.g., Suresh et al.,1986, Methods in Enzymology 121:210). Traditionally, the recombinantproduction of bispecific antibodies was based on the coexpression of twoimmunoglobulin heavy chain-light chain pairs, with the two heavy chainshaving different specificities (Millstein and Cuello, 1983, Nature 305,537-539).

According to one approach to making bispecific antibodies, antibodyvariable domains with the desired binding specificities(antibody-antigen combining sites) are fused to immunoglobulin constantdomain sequences. The fusion preferably is with an immunoglobulin heavychain constant domain, comprising at least part of the hinge, CH2 andCH3 regions. It is preferred to have the first heavy chain constantregion (CH1), containing the site necessary for light chain binding,present in at least one of the fusions. DNAs encoding the immunoglobulinheavy chain fusions and, if desired, the immunoglobulin light chain, areinserted into separate expression vectors, and are cotransfected into asuitable host organism. This provides for great flexibility in adjustingthe mutual proportions of the three polypeptide fragments in embodimentswhen unequal ratios of the three polypeptide chains used in theconstruction provide the optimum yields. It is, however, possible toinsert the coding sequences for two or all three polypeptide chains inone expression vector when the expression of at least two polypeptidechains in equal ratios results in high yields or when the ratios are ofno particular significance.

In one approach, the bispecific antibodies are composed of a hybridimmunoglobulin heavy chain with a first binding specificity in one arm,and a hybrid immunoglobulin heavy chain-light chain pair (providing asecond binding specificity) in the other arm. This asymmetric structure,with an immunoglobulin light chain in only one half of the bispecificmolecule, facilitates the separation of the desired bispecific compoundfrom unwanted immunoglobulin chain combinations. This approach isdescribed in PCT Publication No. WO 94/04690, published Mar. 3, 1994.

Heteroconjugate antibodies, comprising two covalently joined antibodies,are also within the scope of the invention. Such antibodies have beenused to target immune system cells to unwanted cells (U.S. Pat. No.4,676,980), and for treatment of HIV infection (PCT applicationpublication Nos. WO 91/00360 and WO 92/200373; EP 03089).Heteroconjugate antibodies may be made using any convenientcross-linking methods. Suitable cross-linking agents and techniques arewell known in the art, and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,980.

Chimeric or hybrid antibodies also may be prepared in vitro using knownmethods of synthetic protein chemistry, including those involvingcross-linking agents. For example, immunotoxins may be constructed usinga disulfide exchange reaction or by forming a thioether bond. Examplesof suitable reagents for this purpose include iminothiolate andmethyl-4-mercaptobutyrimidate.

Humanized antibody comprising one or more CDRs of antibody G1 or itsvariants shown in Table 6, or one or more CDRs derived from antibody G1or its variants shown in Table 6 can be made using any methods known inthe art. For example, four general steps may be used to humanize amonoclonal antibody.

The invention encompasses modifications to antibody G1 or its variantsshown in Table 6, including functionally equivalent antibodies which donot significantly affect their properties and variants which haveenhanced or decreased activity and/or affinity. For example, the aminoacid sequence of antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6 may bemutated to obtain an antibody with the desired binding affinity to CGRP.Modification of polypeptides is routine practice in the art and need notbe described in detail herein. Modification of polypeptides isexemplified in the Examples. Examples of modified polypeptides includepolypeptides with conservative substitutions of amino acid residues, oneor more deletions or additions of amino acids which do not significantlydeleteriously change the functional activity, or use of chemicalanalogs.

Amino acid sequence insertions include amino- and/or carboxyl-terminalfusions ranging in length from one residue to polypeptides containing ahundred or more residues, as well as intrasequence insertions of singleor multiple amino acid residues. Examples of terminal insertions includean antibody with an N-terminal methionyl residue or the antibody fusedto an epitope tag. Other insertional variants of the antibody moleculeinclude the fusion to the N- or C-terminus of the antibody of an enzymeor a polypeptide which increases the serum half-life of the antibody.

Substitution variants have at least one amino acid residue in theantibody molecule removed and a different residue inserted in its place.The sites of greatest interest for substitutional mutagenesis includethe hypervariable regions, but FR alterations are also contemplated.Conservative substitutions are shown in Table 1 under the heading of“conservative substitutions”. If such substitutions result in a changein biological activity, then more substantial changes, denominated“exemplary substitutions” in Table 1, or as further described below inreference to amino acid classes, may be introduced and the productsscreened.

TABLE 1 Amino Acid Substitutions Original Conservative ResidueSubstitutions Exemplary Substitutions Ala (A) Val Val; Leu; Ile Arg (R)Lys Lys; Gln; Asn Asn (N) Gln Gln; His; Asp, Lys; Arg Asp (D) Glu Glu;Asn Cys (C) Ser Ser; Ala Gln (Q) Asn Asn; Glu Glu (E) Asp Asp; Gln Gly(G) Ala Ala His (H) Arg Asn; Gln; Lys; Arg Ile (I) Leu Leu; Val; Met;Ala; Phe; Norleucine Leu (L) Ile Norleucine; Ile; Val; Met; Ala; Phe Lys(K) Arg Arg; Gln; Asn Met (M) Leu Leu; Phe; Ile Phe (F) Tyr Leu; Val;Ile; Ala; Tyr Pro (P) Ala Ala Ser (S) Thr Thr Thr (T) Ser Ser Trp (W)Tyr Tyr; Phe Tyr (Y) Phe Trp; Phe; Thr; Ser Val (V) Leu Ile; Leu; Met;Phe; Ala; Norleucine

Substantial modifications in the biological properties of the antibodyare accomplished by selecting substitutions that differ significantly intheir effect on maintaining (a) the structure of the polypeptidebackbone in the area of the substitution, for example, as a sheet orhelical conformation, (b) the charge or hydrophobicity of the moleculeat the target site, or (c) the bulk of the side chain. Naturallyoccurring residues are divided into groups based on common side-chainproperties:

-   -   (1) Non-polar: Norleucine, Met, Ala, Val, Leu, Ile;    -   (2) Polar without charge: Cys, Ser, Thr, Asn, Gln;    -   (3) Acidic (negatively charged): Asp, Glu;    -   (4) Basic (positively charged): Lys, Arg;    -   (5) Residues that influence chain orientation: Gly, Pro; and    -   (6) Aromatic: Trp, Tyr, Phe, His.

Non-conservative substitutions are made by exchanging a member of one ofthese classes for another class.

Any cysteine residue not involved in maintaining the proper conformationof the antibody also may be substituted, generally with serine, toimprove the oxidative stability of the molecule and prevent aberrantcross-linking. Conversely, cysteine bond(s) may be added to the antibodyto improve its stability, particularly where the antibody is an antibodyfragment such as an Fv fragment.

Amino acid modifications can range from changing or modifying one ormore amino acids to complete redesign of a region, such as the variableregion. Changes in the variable region can alter binding affinity and/orspecificity. In some embodiments, no more than one to five conservativeamino acid substitutions are made within a CDR domain. In otherembodiments, no more than one to three conservative amino acidsubstitutions are made within a CDR domain. In still other embodiments,the CDR domain is CDR H3 and/or CDR L3.

Modifications also include glycosylated and nonglycosylatedpolypeptides, as well as polypeptides with other post-translationalmodifications, such as, for example, glycosylation with differentsugars, acetylation, and phosphorylation. Antibodies are glycosylated atconserved positions in their constant regions (Jefferis and Lund, 1997,Chem. Immunol. 65:111-128; Wright and Morrison, 1997, TibTECH 15:26-32).The oligosaccharide side chains of the immunoglobulins affect theprotein's function (Boyd et al., 1996, Mol. Immunol. 32:1311-1318;Wittwe and Howard, 1990, Biochem. 29:4175-4180) and the intramolecularinteraction between portions of the glycoprotein, which can affect theconformation and presented three-dimensional surface of the glycoprotein(Hefferis and Lund, supra; Wyss and Wagner, 1996, Current Opin. Biotech.7:409-416). Oligosaccharides may also serve to target a givenglycoprotein to certain molecules based upon specific recognitionstructures. Glycosylation of antibodies has also been reported to affectantibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). In particular, CHOcells with tetracycline-regulated expression ofβ(1,4)-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GnTIII), aglycosyltransferase catalyzing formation of bisecting GlcNAc, wasreported to have improved ADCC activity (Umana et al., 1999, MatureBiotech. 17:176-180).

Glycosylation of antibodies is typically either N-linked or O-linked.N-linked refers to the attachment of the carbohydrate moiety to the sidechain of an asparagine residue. The tripeptide sequencesasparagine-X-serine, asparagine-X-threonine, and asparagine-X-cysteine,where X is any amino acid except proline, are the recognition sequencesfor enzymatic attachment of the carbohydrate moiety to the asparagineside chain. Thus, the presence of either of these tripeptide sequencesin a polypeptide creates a potential glycosylation site. O-linkedglycosylation refers to the attachment of one of the sugarsN-acetylgalactosamine, galactose, or xylose to a hydroxyamino acid, mostcommonly serine or threonine, although 5-hydroxyproline or5-hydroxylysine may also be used.

Addition of glycosylation sites to the antibody is convenientlyaccomplished by altering the amino acid sequence such that it containsone or more of the above-described tripeptide sequences (for N-linkedglycosylation sites). The alteration may also be made by the additionof, or substitution by, one or more serine or threonine residues to thesequence of the original antibody (for O-linked glycosylation sites).

The glycosylation pattern of antibodies may also be altered withoutaltering the underlying nucleotide sequence. Glycosylation largelydepends on the host cell used to express the antibody. Since the celltype used for expression of recombinant glycoproteins, e.g. antibodies,as potential therapeutics is rarely the native cell, variations in theglycosylation pattern of the antibodies can be expected (see, e.g. Hseet al., 1997, J. Biol. Chem. 272:9062-9070).

In addition to the choice of host cells, factors that affectglycosylation during recombinant production of antibodies include growthmode, media formulation, culture density, oxygenation, pH, purificationschemes and the like. Various methods have been proposed to alter theglycosylation pattern achieved in a particular host organism includingintroducing or overexpressing certain enzymes involved inoligosaccharide production (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,047,335; 5,510,261 and5,278,299). Glycosylation, or certain types of glycosylation, can beenzymatically removed from the glycoprotein, for example usingendoglycosidase H (Endo H), N-glycosidase F, endoglycosidase F1,endoglycosidase F2, endoglycosidase F3. In addition, the recombinanthost cell can be genetically engineered to be defective in processingcertain types of polysaccharides. These and similar techniques are wellknown in the art.

Other methods of modification include using coupling techniques known inthe art, including, but not limited to, enzymatic means, oxidativesubstitution and chelation. Modifications can be used, for example, forattachment of labels for immunoassay. Modified G1 polypeptides are madeusing established procedures in the art and can be screened usingstandard assays known in the art, some of which are described below andin the Examples.

In some embodiments of the invention, the antibody comprises a modifiedconstant region, such as a constant region that is immunologically inertor partially inert, e.g., does not trigger complement mediated lysis,does not stimulate antibody-dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC),or does not activate microglia; or have reduced activities (compared tothe unmodified antibody) in any one or more of the following: triggeringcomplement mediated lysis, stimulating antibody-dependent cell mediatedcytotoxicity (ADCC), or activating microglia. Different modifications ofthe constant region may be used to achieve optimal level and/orcombination of effector functions. See, for example, Morgan et al.,Immunology 86:319-324 (1995); Lund et al., J. Immunology 157:4963-9157:4963-4969 (1996); Idusogie et al., J. Immunology 164:4178-4184(2000); Tao et al., J. Immunology 143: 2595-2601 (1989); and Jefferis etal., Immunological Reviews 163:59-76 (1998). In some embodiments, theconstant region is modified as described in Eur. J. Immunol. (1999)29:2613-2624; PCT Application No. PCT/GB99/01441; and/or UK PatentApplication No. 9809951.8. In other embodiments, the antibody comprisesa human heavy chain IgG2 constant region comprising the followingmutations: A330P331 to S330S331 (amino acid numbering with reference tothe wildtype IgG2 sequence). Eur. J. Immunol. (1999) 29:2613-2624. Instill other embodiments, the constant region is aglycosylated forN-linked glycosylation. In some embodiments, the constant region isaglycosylated for N-linked glycosylation by mutating the glycosylatedamino acid residue or flanking residues that are part of theN-glycosylation recognition sequence in the constant region. Forexample, N-glycosylation site N297 may be mutated to A, Q, K, or H. See,Tao et al., J. Immunology 143: 2595-2601 (1989); and Jefferis et al.,Immunological Reviews 163:59-76 (1998). In some embodiments, theconstant region is aglycosylated for N-linked glycosylation. Theconstant region may be aglycosylated for N-linked glycosylationenzymatically (such as removing carbohydrate by enzyme PNGase), or byexpression in a glycosylation deficient host cell.

Other antibody modifications include antibodies that have been modifiedas described in PCT Publication No. WO 99/58572, published Nov. 18,1999. These antibodies comprise, in addition to a binding domaindirected at the target molecule, an effector domain having an amino acidsequence substantially homologous to all or part of a constant domain ofa human immunoglobulin heavy chain. These antibodies are capable ofbinding the target molecule without triggering significant complementdependent lysis, or cell-mediated destruction of the target. In someembodiments, the effector domain is capable of specifically binding FcRnand/or FcγRIIb. These are typically based on chimeric domains derivedfrom two or more human immunoglobulin heavy chain C_(H)2 domains.Antibodies modified in this manner are particularly suitable for use inchronic antibody therapy, to avoid inflammatory and other adversereactions to conventional antibody therapy.

The invention includes affinity matured embodiments. For example,affinity matured antibodies can be produced by procedures known in theart (Marks et al., 1992, Bio/Technology, 10:779-783; Barbas et al.,1994, Proc Nat. Acad. Sci, USA 91:3809-3813; Schier et al., 1995, Gene,169:147-155; Yelton et al., 1995, J. Immunol., 155:1994-2004; Jackson etal., 1995, J. Immunol., 154(7):3310-9; Hawkins et al, 1992, J. Mol.Biol., 226:889-896; and WO2004/058184).

The following methods may be used for adjusting the affinity of anantibody and for characterizing a CDR. One way of characterizing a CDRof an antibody and/or altering (such as improving) the binding affinityof a polypeptide, such as an antibody, termed “library scanningmutagenesis”. Generally, library scanning mutagenesis works as follows.One or more amino acid positions in the CDR are replaced with two ormore (such as 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,19, or 20) amino acids using art recognized methods. This generatessmall libraries of clones (in some embodiments, one for every amino acidposition that is analyzed), each with a complexity of two or moremembers (if two or more amino acids are substituted at every position).Generally, the library also includes a clone comprising the native(unsubstituted) amino acid. A small number of clones, e.g., about 20-80clones (depending on the complexity of the library), from each libraryare screened for binding affinity to the target polypeptide (or otherbinding target), and candidates with increased, the same, decreased orno binding are identified. Methods for determining binding affinity arewell-known in the art. Binding affinity may be determined using Biacoresurface plasmon resonance analysis, which detects differences in bindingaffinity of about 2-fold or greater. Biacore is particularly useful whenthe starting antibody already binds with a relatively high affinity, forexample a K_(D) of about 10 nM or lower. Screening using Biacore surfaceplasmon resonance is described in the Examples, herein.

Binding affinity may be determined using Kinexa Biocensor, scintillationproximity assays, ELISA, ORIGEN immunoassay (IGEN), fluorescencequenching, fluorescence transfer, and/or yeast display. Binding affinitymay also be screened using a suitable bioassay.

In some embodiments, every amino acid position in a CDR is replaced (insome embodiments, one at a time) with all 20 natural amino acids usingart recognized mutagenesis methods (some of which are described herein).This generates small libraries of clones (in some embodiments, one forevery amino acid position that is analyzed), each with a complexity of20 members (if all 20 amino acids are substituted at every position).

In some embodiments, the library to be screened comprises substitutionsin two or more positions, which may be in the same CDR or in two or moreCDRs. Thus, the library may comprise substitutions in two or morepositions in one CDR. The library may comprise substitution in two ormore positions in two or more CDRs. The library may comprisesubstitution in 3, 4, 5, or more positions, said positions found in two,three, four, five or six CDRs. The substitution may be prepared usinglow redundancy codons. See, e.g., Table 2 of Balint et al., (1993) Gene137(1):109-18).

The CDR may be CDRH3 and/or CDRL3. The CDR may be one or more of CDRL1,CDRL2, CDRL3, CDRH1, CDRH2, and/or CDRH3. The CDR may be a Kabat CDR, aChothia CDR, or an extended CDR.

Candidates with improved binding may be sequenced, thereby identifying aCDR substitution mutant which results in improved affinity (also termedan “improved” substitution). Candidates that bind may also be sequenced,thereby identifying a CDR substitution which retains binding.

Multiple rounds of screening may be conducted. For example, candidates(each comprising an amino acid substitution at one or more position ofone or more CDR) with improved binding are also useful for the design ofa second library containing at least the original and substituted aminoacid at each improved CDR position (i.e., amino acid position in the CDRat which a substitution mutant showed improved binding). Preparation,and screening or selection of this library is discussed further below.

Library scanning mutagenesis also provides a means for characterizing aCDR, in so far as the frequency of clones with improved binding, thesame binding, decreased binding or no binding also provide informationrelating to the importance of each amino acid position for the stabilityof the antibody-antigen complex. For example, if a position of the CDRretains binding when changed to all 20 amino acids, that position isidentified as a position that is unlikely to be required for antigenbinding. Conversely, if a position of CDR retains binding in only asmall percentage of substitutions, that position is identified as aposition that is important to CDR function. Thus, the library scanningmutagenesis methods generate information regarding positions in the CDRsthat can be changed to many different amino acids (including all 20amino acids), and positions in the CDRs which cannot be changed or whichcan only be changed to a few amino acids.

Candidates with improved affinity may be combined in a second library,which includes the improved amino acid, the original amino acid at thatposition, and may further include additional substitutions at thatposition, depending on the complexity of the library that is desired, orpermitted using the desired screening or selection method. In addition,if desired, adjacent amino acid position can be randomized to at leasttwo or more amino acids. Randomization of adjacent amino acids maypermit additional conformational flexibility in the mutant CDR, whichmay in turn, permit or facilitate the introduction of a larger number ofimproving mutations. The library may also comprise substitution atpositions that did not show improved affinity in the first round ofscreening.

The second library is screened or selected for library members withimproved and/or altered binding affinity using any method known in theart, including screening using Biacore surface plasmon resonanceanalysis, and selection using any method known in the art for selection,including phage display, yeast display, and ribosome display.

The invention also encompasses fusion proteins comprising one or morefragments or regions from the antibodies (such as G1) or polypeptides ofthis invention. In one embodiment, a fusion polypeptide is provided thatcomprises at least 10 contiguous amino acids of the variable light chainregion shown in SEQ ID NO:2 (FIG. 5) and/or at least 10 amino acids ofthe variable heavy chain region shown in SEQ ID NO:1 (FIG. 5). In otherembodiments, a fusion polypeptide is provided that comprises at leastabout 10, at least about 15, at least about 20, at least about 25, or atleast about 30 contiguous amino acids of the variable light chain regionshown in SEQ ID NO:2 (FIG. 5) and/or at least about 10, at least about15, at least about 20, at least about 25, or at least about 30contiguous amino acids of the variable heavy chain region shown in SEQID NO:1 (FIG. 5). In another embodiment, the fusion polypeptidecomprises a light chain variable region and/or a heavy chain variableregion of G1, as shown in SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:1 of FIG. 5. Inanother embodiment, the fusion polypeptide comprises one or more CDR(s)of G1. In still other embodiments, the fusion polypeptide comprises CDRH3 and/or CDR L3 of antibody G1. For purposes of this invention, an G1fusion protein contains one or more G1 antibodies and another amino acidsequence to which it is not attached in the native molecule, forexample, a heterologous sequence or a homologous sequence from anotherregion. Exemplary heterologous sequences include, but are not limited toa “tag” such as a FLAG tag or a 6H is tag. Tags are well known in theart.

A G1 fusion polypeptide can be created by methods known in the art, forexample, synthetically or recombinantly. Typically, the G1 fusionproteins of this invention are made by preparing an expressing apolynucleotide encoding them using recombinant methods described herein,although they may also be prepared by other means known in the art,including, for example, chemical synthesis.

This invention also provides compositions comprising antibodies orpolypeptides derived from G1 conjugated (for example, linked) to anagent that facilitate coupling to a solid support (such as biotin oravidin). For simplicity, reference will be made generally to G1 orantibodies with the understanding that these methods apply to any of theCGRP binding embodiments described herein. Conjugation generally refersto linking these components as described herein. The linking (which isgenerally fixing these components in proximate association at least foradministration) can be achieved in any number of ways. For example, adirect reaction between an agent and an antibody is possible when eachpossesses a substituent capable of reacting with the other. For example,a nucleophilic group, such as an amino or sulfhydryl group, on one maybe capable of reacting with a carbonyl-containing group, such as ananhydride or an acid halide, or with an alkyl group containing a goodleaving group (e.g., a halide) on the other.

An antibody or polypeptide of this invention may be linked to a labelingagent (alternatively termed “label”) such as a fluorescent molecule, aradioactive molecule or any others labels known in the art. Labels areknown in the art which generally provide (either directly or indirectly)a signal.

The invention also provides compositions (including pharmaceuticalcompositions) and kits comprising antibody G1, and, as this disclosuremakes clear, any or all of the antibodies and/or polypeptides describedherein.

The invention also provides isolated polynucleotides encoding theantibodies and polypeptides of the invention (including an antibodycomprising the polypeptide sequences of the light chain and heavy chainvariable regions shown in FIG. 5), and vectors and host cells comprisingthe polynucleotide.

Accordingly, the invention provides polynucleotides (or compositions,including pharmaceutical compositions), comprising polynucleotidesencoding any of the following: (a) antibody G1 or its variants shown inTable 6; (b) a fragment or a region of antibody G1 or its variants shownin Table 6; (c) a light chain of antibody G1 or its variants shown inTable 6; (d) a heavy chain of antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table6; (e) one or more variable region(s) from a light chain and/or a heavychain of antibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; (f) one or moreCDR(s) (one, two, three, four, five or six CDRs) of antibody G1 or itsvariants shown in Table 6; (g) CDR H3 from the heavy chain of antibodyG1; (h) CDR L3 from the light chain of antibody G1 or its variants shownin Table 6; (i) three CDRs from the light chain of antibody G1 or itsvariants shown in Table 6; (j) three CDRs from the heavy chain ofantibody G1 or its variants shown in Table 6; (k) three CDRs from thelight chain and three CDRs from the heavy chain, of antibody G1 or itsvariants shown in Table 6; and (l) an antibody comprising any one of (b)through (k). In some embodiments, the polynucleotide comprises either orboth of the polynucleotide(s) shown in SEQ ID NO: 9 and SEQ ID NO: 10.

In another aspect, the invention provides polynucleotides encoding anyof the antibodies (including antibody fragments) and polypeptidesdescribed herein, such as antibodies and polypeptides having impairedeffector function. Polynucleotides can be made by procedures known inthe art.

In another aspect, the invention provides compositions (such as apharmaceutical compositions) comprising any of the polynucleotides ofthe invention. In some embodiments, the composition comprises anexpression vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding the G1 antibodyas described herein. In other embodiment, the composition comprises anexpression vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding any of theantibodies or polypeptides described herein. In still other embodiments,the composition comprises either or both of the polynucleotides shown inSEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10. Expression vectors, and administration ofpolynucleotide compositions are further described herein.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method of making any of thepolynucleotides described herein.

Polynucleotides complementary to any such sequences are also encompassedby the present invention. Polynucleotides may be single-stranded (codingor antisense) or double-stranded, and may be DNA (genomic, cDNA orsynthetic) or RNA molecules. RNA molecules include HnRNA molecules,which contain introns and correspond to a DNA molecule in a one-to-onemanner, and mRNA molecules, which do not contain introns. Additionalcoding or non-coding sequences may, but need not, be present within apolynucleotide of the present invention, and a polynucleotide may, butneed not, be linked to other molecules and/or support materials.

Polynucleotides may comprise a native sequence (i.e., an endogenoussequence that encodes an antibody or a portion thereof) or may comprisea variant of such a sequence. Polynucleotide variants contain one ormore substitutions, additions, deletions and/or insertions such that theimmunoreactivity of the encoded polypeptide is not diminished, relativeto a native immunoreactive molecule. The effect on the immunoreactivityof the encoded polypeptide may generally be assessed as describedherein. Variants preferably exhibit at least about 70% identity, morepreferably at least about 80% identity and most preferably at leastabout 90% identity to a polynucleotide sequence that encodes a nativeantibody or a portion thereof.

Two polynucleotide or polypeptide sequences are said to be “identical”if the sequence of nucleotides or amino acids in the two sequences isthe same when aligned for maximum correspondence as described below.Comparisons between two sequences are typically performed by comparingthe sequences over a comparison window to identify and compare localregions of sequence similarity. A “comparison window” as used herein,refers to a segment of at least about 20 contiguous positions, usually30 to about 75, 40 to about 50, in which a sequence may be compared to areference sequence of the same number of contiguous positions after thetwo sequences are optimally aligned.

Optimal alignment of sequences for comparison may be conducted using theMegalign program in the Lasergene suite of bioinformatics software(DNASTAR, Inc., Madison, Wis.), using default parameters. This programembodies several alignment schemes described in the followingreferences: Dayhoff, M. O. (1978) A model of evolutionary change inproteins—Matrices for detecting distant relationships. In Dayhoff, M. O.(ed.) Atlas of Protein Sequence and Structure, National BiomedicalResearch Foundation, Washington D.C. Vol. 5, Suppl. 3, pp. 345-358; HeinJ., 1990, Unified Approach to Alignment and Phylogenes pp. 626-645Methods in Enzymology vol. 183, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, Calif.;Higgins, D. G. and Sharp, P. M., 1989, CABIOS 5:151-153; Myers, E. W.and Muller W., 1988, CABIOS 4:11-17; Robinson, E. D., 1971, Comb. Theor.11:105; Santou, N., Nes, M., 1987, Mol. Biol. Evol. 4:406-425; Sneath,P. H. A. and Sokal, R. R., 1973, Numerical Taxonomy the Principles andPractice of Numerical Taxonomy, Freeman Press, San Francisco, Calif.;Wilbur, W. J. and Lipman, D. J., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA80:726-730.

Preferably, the “percentage of sequence identity” is determined bycomparing two optimally aligned sequences over a window of comparison ofat least 20 positions, wherein the portion of the polynucleotide orpolypeptide sequence in the comparison window may comprise additions ordeletions (i.e. gaps) of 20 percent or less, usually 5 to 15 percent, or10 to 12 percent, as compared to the reference sequences (which does notcomprise additions or deletions) for optimal alignment of the twosequences. The percentage is calculated by determining the number ofpositions at which the identical nucleic acid bases or amino acidresidue occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matchedpositions, dividing the number of matched positions by the total numberof positions in the reference sequence (i.e. the window size) andmultiplying the results by 100 to yield the percentage of sequenceidentity.

Variants may also, or alternatively, be substantially homologous to anative gene, or a portion or complement thereof. Such polynucleotidevariants are capable of hybridizing under moderately stringentconditions to a naturally occurring DNA sequence encoding a nativeantibody (or a complementary sequence).

Suitable “moderately stringent conditions” include prewashing in asolution of 5×SSC, 0.5% SDS, 1.0 mM EDTA (pH 8.0); hybridizing at 50°C.-65° C., 5×SSC, overnight; followed by washing twice at 65° C. for 20minutes with each of 2×, 0.5× and 0.2×SSC containing 0.1% SDS.

As used herein, “highly stringent conditions” or “high stringencyconditions” are those that: (1) employ low ionic strength and hightemperature for washing, for example 0.015 M sodium chloride/0.0015 Msodium citrate/0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate at 50° C.; (2) employ duringhybridization a denaturing agent, such as formamide, for example, 50%(v/v) formamide with 0.1% bovine serum albumin/0.1% Ficoll/0.1%polyvinylpyrrolidone/50 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 6.5 with 750 mMsodium chloride, 75 mM sodium citrate at 42° C.; or (3) employ 50%formamide, 5×SSC (0.75 M NaCl, 0.075 M sodium citrate), 50 mM sodiumphosphate (pH 6.8), 0.1% sodium pyrophosphate, 5×Denhardt's solution,sonicated salmon sperm DNA (50 μg/ml), 0.1% SDS, and 10% dextran sulfateat 42° C., with washes at 42° C. in 0.2×SSC (sodium chloride/sodiumcitrate) and 50% formamide at 55° C., followed by a high-stringency washconsisting of 0.1×SSC containing EDTA at 55° C. The skilled artisan willrecognize how to adjust the temperature, ionic strength, etc. asnecessary to accommodate factors such as probe length and the like.

It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that, as aresult of the degeneracy of the genetic code, there are many nucleotidesequences that encode a polypeptide as described herein. Some of thesepolynucleotides bear minimal homology to the nucleotide sequence of anynative gene. Nonetheless, polynucleotides that vary due to differencesin codon usage are specifically contemplated by the present invention.Further, alleles of the genes comprising the polynucleotide sequencesprovided herein are within the scope of the present invention. Allelesare endogenous genes that are altered as a result of one or moremutations, such as deletions, additions and/or substitutions ofnucleotides. The resulting mRNA and protein may, but need not, have analtered structure or function. Alleles may be identified using standardtechniques (such as hybridization, amplification and/or databasesequence comparison).

The polynucleotides of this invention can be obtained using chemicalsynthesis, recombinant methods, or PCR. Methods of chemicalpolynucleotide synthesis are well known in the art and need not bedescribed in detail herein. One of skill in the art can use thesequences provided herein and a commercial DNA synthesizer to produce adesired DNA sequence.

For preparing polynucleotides using recombinant methods, apolynucleotide comprising a desired sequence can be inserted into asuitable vector, and the vector in turn can be introduced into asuitable host cell for replication and amplification, as furtherdiscussed herein. Polynucleotides may be inserted into host cells by anymeans known in the art. Cells are transformed by introducing anexogenous polynucleotide by direct uptake, endocytosis, transfection,F-mating or electroporation. Once introduced, the exogenouspolynucleotide can be maintained within the cell as a non-integratedvector (such as a plasmid) or integrated into the host cell genome. Thepolynucleotide so amplified can be isolated from the host cell bymethods well known within the art. See, e.g., Sambrook et al. (1989).

Alternatively, PCR allows reproduction of DNA sequences. PCR technologyis well known in the art and is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195,4,800,159, 4,754,065 and 4,683,202, as well as PCR: The Polymerase ChainReaction, Mullis et al. eds., Birkauswer Press, Boston (1994).

RNA can be obtained by using the isolated DNA in an appropriate vectorand inserting it into a suitable host cell. When the cell replicates andthe DNA is transcribed into RNA, the RNA can then be isolated usingmethods well known to those of skill in the art, as set forth inSambrook et al., (1989), for example.

Suitable cloning vectors may be constructed according to standardtechniques, or may be selected from a large number of cloning vectorsavailable in the art. While the cloning vector selected may varyaccording to the host cell intended to be used, useful cloning vectorswill generally have the ability to self-replicate, may possess a singletarget for a particular restriction endonuclease, and/or may carry genesfor a marker that can be used in selecting clones containing the vector.Suitable examples include plasmids and bacterial viruses, e.g., pUC18,pUC19, Bluescript (e.g., pBS SK+) and its derivatives, mp18, mp19,pBR322, pMB9, ColE1, pCR1, RP4, phage DNAs, and shuttle vectors such aspSA3 and pAT28. These and many other cloning vectors are available fromcommercial vendors such as BioRad, Strategene, and Invitrogen.

Expression vectors generally are replicable polynucleotide constructsthat contain a polynucleotide according to the invention. It is impliedthat an expression vector must be replicable in the host cells either asepisomes or as an integral part of the chromosomal DNA. Suitableexpression vectors include but are not limited to plasmids, viralvectors, including adenoviruses, adeno-associated viruses, retroviruses,cosmids, and expression vector(s) disclosed in PCT Publication No. WO87/04462. Vector components may generally include, but are not limitedto, one or more of the following: a signal sequence; an origin ofreplication; one or more marker genes; suitable transcriptionalcontrolling elements (such as promoters, enhancers and terminator). Forexpression (i.e., translation), one or more translational controllingelements are also usually required, such as ribosome binding sites,translation initiation sites, and stop codons.

The vectors containing the polynucleotides of interest can be introducedinto the host cell by any of a number of appropriate means, includingelectroporation, transfection employing calcium chloride, rubidiumchloride, calcium phosphate, DEAE-dextran, or other substances;microprojectile bombardment; lipofection; and infection (e.g., where thevector is an infectious agent such as vaccinia virus). The choice ofintroducing vectors or polynucleotides will often depend on features ofthe host cell.

The invention also provides host cells comprising any of thepolynucleotides described herein. Any host cells capable ofover-expressing heterologous DNAs can be used for the purpose ofisolating the genes encoding the antibody, polypeptide or protein ofinterest. Non-limiting examples of mammalian host cells include but notlimited to COS, HeLa, and CHO cells. See also PCT Publication No. WO87/04462. Suitable non-mammalian host cells include prokaryotes (such asE. coli or B. subtillis) and yeast (such as S. cerevisae, S. pombe; orK. lactis). Preferably, the host cells express the cDNAs at a level ofabout 5 fold higher, more preferably 10 fold higher, even morepreferably 20 fold higher than that of the corresponding endogenousantibody or protein of interest, if present, in the host cells.Screening the host cells for a specific binding to A 1-40 is effected byan immunoassay or FACS. A cell overexpressing the antibody or protein ofinterest can be identified.

D. Compositions

The compositions used in the methods of the invention comprise aneffective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody or an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody derived polypeptide described herein. Examples ofsuch compositions, as well as how to formulate, are also described in anearlier section and below. In one embodiment, the composition furthercomprises a CGRP antagonist. In another embodiment, the compositioncomprises one or more anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies. In otherembodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody recognizes human CGRP. Instill other embodiments, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is humanized.In still other embodiment, the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody comprises aconstant region that does not trigger an unwanted or undesirable immuneresponse, such as antibody-mediated lysis or ADCC. In other embodiments,the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody comprises one or more CDR(s) ofantibody G1 (such as one, two, three, four, five, or, in someembodiments, all six CDRs from G1). In some embodiments, the anti-CGRPantagonist antibody is human.

It is understood that the compositions can comprise more than oneanti-CGRP antagonist antibody (e.g., a mixture of anti-CGRP antagonistantibodies that recognize different epitopes of CGRP). Other exemplarycompositions comprise more than one anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies thatrecognize the same epitope(s), or different species of anti-CGRPantagonist antibodies that bind to different epitopes of CGRP.

The composition used in the present invention can further comprisepharmaceutically acceptable carriers, excipients, or stabilizers(Remington: The Science and practice of Pharmacy 20th Ed. (2000)Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Ed. K. E. Hoover.), in the form oflyophilized formulations or aqueous solutions. Acceptable carriers,excipients, or stabilizers are nontoxic to recipients at the dosages andconcentrations, and may comprise buffers such as phosphate, citrate, andother organic acids; antioxidants including ascorbic acid andmethionine; preservatives (such as octadecyldimethylbenzyl ammoniumchloride; hexamethonium chloride; benzalkonium chloride, benzethoniumchloride; phenol, butyl or benzyl alcohol; alkyl parabens such as methylor propyl paraben; catechol; resorcinol; cyclohexanol; 3-pentanol; andm-cresol); low molecular weight (less than about 10 residues)polypeptides; proteins, such as serum albumin, gelatin, orimmunoglobulins; hydrophilic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone;amino acids such as glycine, glutamine, asparagine, histidine, arginine,or lysine; monosaccharides, disaccharides, and other carbohydratesincluding glucose, mannose, or dextrans; chelating agents such as EDTA;sugars such as sucrose, mannitol, trehalose or sorbitol; salt-formingcounter-ions such as sodium; metal complexes (e.g. Zn-proteincomplexes); and/or non-ionic surfactants such as TWEEN™, PLURONICS™ orpolyethylene glycol (PEG). Pharmaceutically acceptable excipients arefurther described herein.

The anti-CGRP antagonist antibody and compositions thereof can also beused in conjunction with other agents that serve to enhance and/orcomplement the effectiveness of the agents.

E. Kits

The invention also provides kits for use in the instant methods. Kits ofthe invention include one or more containers comprising an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody (such as a humanized antibody) or polypeptidedescribed herein and instructions for use in accordance with any of themethods of the invention described herein. Generally, these instructionscomprise a description of administration of the anti-CGRP antagonistantibody to treat, ameliorate or prevent headache (such as migraine)according to any of the methods described herein. The kit may furthercomprise a description of selecting an individual suitable for treatmentbased on identifying whether that individual has headache or whether theindividual is at risk of having headache. In still other embodiments,the instructions comprise a description of administering an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody to an individual at risk of having headache (such asmigraine).

In some embodiments, the antibody is a humanized antibody. In someembodiments, the antibody is human. In other embodiments, the antibodyis a monoclonal antibody. In still other embodiments. In someembodiment, the antibody comprises one or more CDR(s) of antibody G1(such as one, two, three, four, five, or, in some embodiments, all sixCDRs from G1).

The instructions relating to the use of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibodygenerally include information as to dosage, dosing schedule, and routeof administration for the intended treatment. The containers may be unitdoses, bulk packages (e.g., multi-dose packages) or sub-unit doses.Instructions supplied in the kits of the invention are typically writteninstructions on a label or package insert (e.g., a paper sheet includedin the kit), but machine-readable instructions (e.g., instructionscarried on a magnetic or optical storage disk) are also acceptable.

The label or package insert indicates that the composition is used fortreating, ameliorating and/or preventing headache (such as migraine).Instructions may be provided for practicing any of the methods describedherein.

The kits of this invention are in suitable packaging. Suitable packagingincludes, but is not limited to, vials, bottles, jars, flexiblepackaging (e.g., sealed Mylar or plastic bags), and the like. Alsocontemplated are packages for use in combination with a specific device,such as an inhaler, nasal administration device (e.g., an atomizer) oran infusion device such as a minipump. A kit may have a sterile accessport (for example the container may be an intravenous solution bag or avial having a stopper pierceable by a hypodermic injection needle). Thecontainer may also have a sterile access port (for example the containermay be an intravenous solution bag or a vial having a stopper pierceableby a hypodermic injection needle). At least one active agent in thecomposition is an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody. The container mayfurther comprise a second pharmaceutically active agent.

Kits may optionally provide additional components such as buffers andinterpretive information. Normally, the kit comprises a container and alabel or package insert(s) on or associated with the container.

The following Examples are provided to illustrate but not limit theinvention.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Generation and Characterization of MonoclonalAntibodies Directed Against CGRP

Generation of anti-CGRP antibodies. To generate anti-CGRP antibodiesthat have cross-species reactivity for rat and human CGRP, mice wereimmunized with 25-100 μg of human α-CGRP or β-CGRP conjugated to KLH inadjuvant (50 μl per footpad, 100 μl total per mouse) at variousintervals. Immunization was generally performed as described in GeerligsH J et al., 1989, J. Immunol. Methods 124:95-102; Kenney J S et al.,1989, J. Immunol. Methods 121:157-166; and Wicher K et al., 1989, Int.Arch. Allergy Appl. Immunol. 89:128-135. Mice were first immunized with50 μg of human α-CGRP or β-CGRP conjugated to KLH in CFA (completeFreund's adjuvant). After 21 days, mice were secondly immunized with 25μg of human β-CGRP (for mice first immunized with human α-CGRP) orα-CGRP (for mice first immunized with human β-CGRP) conjugated to KLH inIFA (incomplete Freund's adjuvant). Twenty three days later after thesecond immunization, third immunization was performed with 25 μg of ratα-CGRP conjugated to KLH in IFA. Ten days later, antibody titers weretested using ELISA. Forth immunization was performed with 25 μg of thepeptide (rat α-CGRP-KLH) in IFA 34 days after the third immunization.Final booster was performed with 100 μg soluble peptide (rat α-CGRP) 32days after the forth immunization.

Splenocytes were obtained from the immunized mouse and fused with NSOmyeloma cells at a ratio of 10:1, with polyethylene glycol 1500. Thehybrids were plated out into 96-well plates in DMEM containing 20% horseserum and 2-oxaloacetate/pyruvate/insulin (Sigma), andhypoxanthine/aminopterin/thymidine selection was begun. On day 8, 100 μlof DMEM containing 20% horse serum was added to all the wells.Supernatants of the hybrids were screened by using antibody captureimmunoassay. Determination of antibody class was done withclass-specific second antibodies.

A panel of monoclonal antibody-producing cell lines was selected basedon their binding to human and rat CGRP for further characterization.These antibodies and characteristics are shown below in Tables 2 and 3.

Purification and Fab fragment preparation. Monoclonal antibodiesselected for further characterization were purified from supernatants ofhybridoma cultures using protein A affinity chromatography. Thesupernatants were equilibrated to pH 8. The supernatants were thenloaded to the protein A column MabSelect (Amersham Biosciences#17-5199-02) equilibrated with PBS to pH 8. The column was washed with 5column volumes of PBS, pH 8. The antibodies were eluted with 50 mMcitrate-phosphate buffer, pH 3. The eluted antibodies were neutralizedwith 1M Phosphate Buffer, pH 8. The purified antibodies were dialyzedwith PBS, pH 7.4. The antibody concentrations were determined bySDS-PAGE, using a murine monoclonal antibody standard curve.

Fabs were prepared by papain proteolysis of the full antibodies usingImmunopure Fab kit (Pierce #44885) and purified by flow through proteinA chromatography following manufacturer instructions. Concentrationswere determined by ELISA and/or SDS-PAGE electrophoresis using astandard Fab of known concentration (determined by amino acid analysis),and by A280 using 1 OD=0.6 mg/ml (or theoretical equivalent based on theamino acid sequence).

Affinity determination of the Fabs. Affinities of the anti-CGRPmonoclonal antibodies were determined at either 25° C. or 37° C. usingthe Biacore3000™ surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system (Biacore, INC,Piscataway N.J.) with the manufacture's own running buffer, HBS-EP (10mM HEPES pH 7.4, 150 mM NaCl, 3 mM EDTA, 0.005% v/v polysorbate P20).Affinity was determined by capturing N-terminally biotinylated CGRPpeptides (custom ordered from GenScript Corporation, New Jersey orGlobal Peptide Services, Colorado) via pre-immobilized streptavidin onSA chip and measuring binding kinetics of antibody Fab titrated acrossthe CGRP surface. Biotinylated CGRP was diluted into HBS-EP and injectedover the chip at a concentration of less than 0.001 mg/ml. Usingvariable flow time across the individual chip channels, two ranges ofantigen density were achieved: <50 response units (RU) for detailedkinetic studies and about 800 RU for concentration studies andscreening. Two- or three-fold serial dilutions typically atconcentrations spanning 1 μM-0.1 nM (aimed at 0.1-10× estimated K_(D))of purified Fab fragments were injected for 1 minute at 100 μL/min anddissociation times of 10 minutes were allowed. After each binding cycle,surfaces were regenerated with 25 mM NaOH in 25% v/v ethanol, which wastolerated over hundreds of cycles. Kinetic association rate (k_(on)) anddissociation rate (k_(off)) were obtained simultaneously by fitting thedata to a 1:1 Langmuir binding model (Karlsson, R. Roos, H. Fagerstam,L. Petersson, B. (1994). Methods Enzymology 6. 99-110) using theBIAevaluation program. Global equilibrium dissociation constants (K_(D))or “affinities” were calculated from the ratio K_(D)=k_(off)/k_(on).Affinities of the murine Fab fragments are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

Epitope mapping of the murine anti-CGRP antibodies. To determine theepitope that anti-CGRP antibodies bind on human α-CGRP, bindingaffinities of the Fab fragments to various CGRP fragments were measuredas described above by capturing N-terminally biotinylated CGRP fragmentsamino acids 19-37 and amino acids 25-37 on a SA sensor chip. FIG. 1shows their binding affinities measured at 25° C. As shown in FIG. 1,all antibodies, except antibody 4901, bind to human α-CGRP fragments19-37 and 25-37 with affinity similar to their binding affinity to fulllength human α-CGRP (1-37). Antibody 4901 binds to human α-CGRP fragment25-37 with six fold lower affinity than binding to full length humanα-CGRP fragment, due mainly to a loss in off-rate. The data indicatethat these anti-CGRP antibodies generally bind to the C-terminal end ofCGRP.

Alanine scanning was performed to further characterize amino acids inhuman α-CGRP involved in binding of anti-CGRP antibodies. Differentvariants of human α-CGRP with single alanine substitutions weregenerated by peptide synthesis. Their amino acid sequences are shown inTable 4 along with all the other peptides used in the Biacore analysis.Affinities of Fab fragments of the anti-CGRP antibodies to thesevariants were determined using Biacore as described above. As shown inFIG. 1, all 12 antibodies target a C-terminal epitope, with amino acidF37 being the most crucial residue. Mutation of F37 to alaninesignificantly lowered the affinity or even completely knocked outbinding of the anti-CGRP antibodies to the peptide. The next mostimportant amino acid residue is G33, however, only the high affinityantibodies (7E9, 8B6, 10A8, and 7D11) were affected by alaninereplacement at this position. Amino acid residue S34 also plays asignificant, but lesser, role in the binding of these four high affinityantibodies.

TABLE 2 Characteristics of the anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies' bindingto human α-CGRP and their antagonist activity Cell-based IC₅₀ blocking(nM binding K_(D) to K_(D) to human α-CGRP sites) at 25° C. human α-human α- binding to its (room temp.) CGRP at CGRP at receptor at 25° C.measured in 25° C. 37° C. (measured by cAMP radioligand Antibodies (nM)(nM) activation) binding assay. 7E9 1.0 0.9 Yes 2.5 8B6 1.1 1.2 Yes 4.010A8 2.1 3.0 Yes n.d. 7D11 4.4 5.4 Yes n.d. 6H2 9.3 42 Yes 12.9  4901 61139 Yes 58   14E10 80 179 Yes n.d. 9B8 85 183 No n.d. 13C2 94 379 Non.d. 14A9 148 581 No n.d. 6D5 210 647 No n.d. 1C5 296 652 No n.d. Note:Antibody 4901 is commercially available (Sigma, Product No. C7113). n.d.= not determined

TABLE 3 Characteristics of the anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies' bindingto rat α-CGRP and antagonist activity Cell-based blocking of binding ofrat α-CGRP In vivo K_(D) to its receptor at 25° C. blocking in to ratα-CGRP at (measured by cAMP saphenous Antibodies 37° C. (nM) activation)nerve assay 4901 3.4 Yes Yes 7E9 47 Yes Yes 6H2 54 No No 8B6 75 Yes Yes7D11 218 Yes Yes 10A8 451 No n.d. 9B8 876 No n.d. 14E10 922 No n.d.13C2 >1000 No n.d. 14A9 >1000 No n.d. 6D5 >1000 No n.d. 1C5 >1000 Non.d. “n.d.” indicates no test was performed for the antibody.

TABLE 4Amino acid sequences of human α-CGRP fragments (SEQ ID NOS: 15-40) and related  peptides (SEQ ID NOS: 41-47). All peptides are C-terminally amidated exceptSEQ ID NOS: 36-40. Residues in bold indicate point mutations. CGRPAmino acid sequence SEQ ID NO 1-37 (WT)ACDTATCVTHRLAGLLSRSGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSKAF 15 8-37VTHRLAGLLSRSGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSKAF 16 19-37 SGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSKAF 17P29A (19-37) SGGVVKNNFVATNVGSKAF 18 K35A (19-37) SGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSAAF 19K35E (19-37) SGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSEAF 20 K35M (19-37) SGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSMAF 21K35Q (19-37) SGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSQAF 22 F37A (19-37) SGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSKAA 2325-38A NNFVPTNVGSKAFA 24 25-37 NNFVPTNVGSKAF 25 F27A (25-37)NNAVPTNVGSKAF 26 V28A (25-37) NNFAPTNVGSKAF 27 P29A (25-37)NNFVATNVGSKAF 28 T30A (25-37) NNFVPANVGSKAF 29 N31A (25-37)NNFVPTAVGSKAF 30 V32A (25-37) NNFVPTNAGSKAF 31 G33A (25-37)NNFVPTNVASKAF 32 S34A (25-37) NNFVPTNVGAKAF 33 F37A (25-37)NNFVPTNVGSKAA 34 26-37 NFVPTNVGSKAF 35 19-37-COOH SGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSKAF 3619-36-COOH SGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSKA 37 1-36-COOHACDTATCVTHRLAGLLSRSGGVVKNNFVPTNVGSKA 38 1-19-COOH ACDTATCVTHRLAGLLSRS 391-13-COOH ACDTATCVTHRLA 40 rat α (1-37)SCNTATCVTHRLAGLLSRSGGVVKDNFVPTNVGSEAF 41 rat α (19-37)SGGVVKDNFVPTNVGSEAF 42 human β (1-37)ACNTATCVTHRLAGLLSRSGGMVKSNFVPTNVGSKAF 43 rat β (1-37)SCNTATCVTHRLAGLLSRSGGVVKDNFVPTNVGSKAF 44 Human calcitoninCGNLSTCMLGTYTQDFNKFHTFPQTAIGVGAP 45 (1-32) Human amylin KCNTATCATQRLANFLVHSSNNFGAILSSTNVGSNTY 46 (1-37) HumanYRQSMNNFQGLRSFGCRFGTCTVQKLAHQIYQFTDK 47 adrenomedullin  DKDNVAPRSKISPQGY(1-52)

Example 2 Screening of Anti-CGRP Antagonist Antibodies Using In VitroAssays

Murine anti-CGRP antibodies were further screened for antagonistactivity in vitro using cell based cAMP activation assay and bindingassay.

Antagonist activity measured by cAMP assay. Five microliters of human orrat α-CGRP (final concentration 50 nM) in the presence or absence of ananti-CGRP antibody (final concentration 1-3000 nM), or rat α-CGRP orhuman α-CGRP (final concentration 0.1 nM-10 μM; as a positive controlfor c-AMP activation) was dispensed into a 384-well plate (Nunc, Cat.No. 264657). Ten microliters of cells (human SK-N-MC if human α-CGRP isused, or rat L6 from ATCC if rat α-CGRP is used) in stimulation buffer(20 mM HEPES, pH 7.4, 146 mM NaCl, 5 mM KCl, 1 mM CaCl₂, 1 mM MgCl₂, and500 uM 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX)) were added into the wells ofthe plate. The plate was incubated at room temperature for 30 min.

After the incubation, cAMP activation was performed using HitHunter™Enzyme Fragment Complementation Assay (Applied Biosystems) followingmanufacture's instruction. The assay is based on a geneticallyengineered β-galactosidase enzyme that consists of two fragments—termedEnzyme Acceptor (EA) and Enzyme Donor (ED). When the two fragments areseparated, the enzyme is inactive. When the fragments are together theycan recombine spontaneously to form active enzyme by a process calledcomplementation. The EFC assay platform utilizes an ED-cAMP peptideconjugate in which cAMP is recognized by anti-cAMP. This ED fragment iscapable of reassociation with EA to form active enzyme. In the assay,anti-cAMP antibody is optimally titrated to bind ED-cAMP conjugate andinhibit enzyme formation. Levels of cAMP in cell lysate samples competewith ED-cAMP conjugate for binding to the anti-cAMP antibody. The amountof free ED conjugate in the assay is proportional to the concentrationof cAMP. Therefore, cAMP is measured by the formation of active enzymethat is quantified by the turnover of β-galactosidase luminescentsubstrate. The cAMP activation assay was performed by adding 10 μl oflysis buffer and anti-cAMP antibody (1:1 ratio) following by incubationat room temperature for 60 min, Then 10 μl of ED-cAMP reagent was addedinto each well and incubated for 60 minutes at room temperature. Afterthe incubation, 20 μl of EA reagent and CL mixture (containing thesubstrate) (1:1 ratio) was added into each well and incubated for 1-3hours or overnight at room temperature. The plate was read at 1second/well on PMT instrument or 30 seconds/place on imager. Theantibodies that inhibit activation of cAMP by α-CGRP were identified(referred to as “yes”) in Tables 2 and 3 above. Data in Tables 2 and 3indicate that antibodies that demonstrated antagonist activity in theassay generally have high affinity. For example, antibodies having K_(D)(determined at 25° C.) of about 80 nM or less to human α-CGRP or havingK_(D) (determined at 37° C.) of about 47 nM or less to rat α-CGRP showedantagonist activity in this assay.

Radioligand binding assay. Binding assay was performed to measure theIC₅₀ of anti-CGRP antibody in blocking the CGRP from binding to thereceptor as described previously. Zimmermann et al., Peptides 16:421-4,1995; Mallee et al., J. Biol. Chem. 277:14294-8, 2002. Membranes (25 μg)from SK-N-MC cells were incubated for 90 min at room temperature inincubation buffer (50 mM Tris-HCL, pH 7.4, 5 mM MgCL₂, 0.1% BSA)containing 10 pM ¹²⁵I-human α-CGRP in a total volume of 1 mL. Todetermine inhibition concentrations (IC₅₀), antibodies or unlabeled CGRP(as a control), from a about 100 fold higher stock solution weredissolved at varying concentrations in the incubation buffer andincubated at the same time with membranes and 10 pM ¹²⁵I-human α-CGRP.Incubation was terminated by filtration through a glass microfiberfilter (GF/B, 1 μm) which had been blocked with 0.5% polyethylemimine.Dose response curves were plotted and K_(i) values were determined byusing the equation: K_(i)=IC₅₀/(1+([ligand]/K_(D)); where theequilibrium dissociation constant K_(D)=8 pM for human α-CGRP to CGRP1receptor as present in SK-N-MC cells, and B_(max)=0.025 pmol/mg protein.The reported IC₅₀ value (in terms of IgG molecules) was converted tobinding sites (by multiplying it by 2) so that it could be compared withthe affinities (K_(D)) determined by Biacore (see Table 2).

Table 2 shows the IC₅₀ of murine antibodies 7E9, 8B6, 6H2 and 4901. Dataindicate that antibody affinity generally correlates with IC₅₀:antibodies with higher affinity (lower K_(D) values) have lower IC₅₀ inthe radioligand binding assay.

Example 3 Effect of Anti-CGRP Antagonist Antibodies on SkinVasodilatation Induced by Stimulation of Rat Saphenous Nerve

To test antagonist activity of anti-CGRP antibodies, effect of theantibodies on skin vasodilatation by stimulation of rat saphenous nervewas tested using a rat model described previously. Escott et al., Br. J.Pharmacol. 110:772-776, 1993. In this rat model, electrical stimulationof saphenous nerve induces release of CGRP from nerve endings, resultingin an increase in skin blood flow. Blood flow in the foot skin of maleSprague Dwaley rats (170-300 g, from Charles River Hollister) wasmeasured after saphenous nerve stimulation. Rats were maintained underanesthesia with 2% isoflurane. Bretylium tosylate (30 mg/kg,administered i.v.) was given at the beginning of the experiment tominimize vasoconstriction due to the concomitant stimulation ofsympathetic fibers of the saphenous nerve. Body temperature wasmaintained at 37° C. by the use of a rectal probe thermostaticallyconnected to a temperature controlled heating pad. Compounds includingantibodies, positive control (CGRP 8-37), and vehicle (PBS, 0.01% Tween20) were given intravenously through the right femoral vein, except forthe experiment shown in FIG. 3, the test compound and the control wereinjected through tail vein, and for experiments shown in FIGS. 2A and2B, antibodies 4901 and 7D11 were injected intraperitoneally (IP).Positive control compound CGRP 8-37 (vasodilatation antagonist), due toits short half-life, was given 3-5 min before nerve stimulation at 400nmol/kg (200 μl). Tan et al., Clin. Sci. 89:656-73, 1995. The antibodieswere given in different doses (1 mg/kg, 2.5 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg,and 25 mg/kg).

For experiments shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, antibody 4901 (25 mg/kg),antibody 7D11 (25 mg/kg), or vehicle control (PBS with 0.01% Tween 20)was administered intraperitoneally (IP) 72 hours before the electricalpulse stimulation. For experiment shown in FIG. 3, antibody 4901 (1mg/kg, 2.5 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, or 25 mg/kg) or vehicle control (PBS with0.01% Tween 20) was administered intravenously 24 hours before theelectrical pulse stimulation. After administration of the antibodies orvehicle control, the saphenous nerve of the right hindlimb was exposedsurgically, cut proximally and covered with plastic wrap to preventdrying. A laser Doppler probe was placed over the medio-dorsal side ofthe hindpaw skin, which is the region innervated by the saphenous nerve.Skin blood flow, measured as blood cell flux, was monitored with a laserDoppler flow meter. When a stable base-line flux (less than 5%variation) was established for at least 5 min, the nerve was placed overplatinum bipolar electrodes and electrically stimulated with 60 pulses(2 Hz, 10 V, 1 ms, for 30 sec) and then again 20 minutes later.Cumulative change in skin blood flow was estimated by the area under theflux-time curve (AUC, which is equal to change in flux multiplied bychange in time) for each flux response to electrical pulse stimulation.The average of the blood flow response to the two stimulations wastaken. Animals were kept under anesthesia for a period of one to threehours.

As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, blood flow increase stimulated byapplying electronic pulses on saphenous nerve was inhibited by thepresence of CGRP 8-37 (400 nmol/kg, administered i.v.), antibody 4901(25 mg/kg, administered ip), or antibody 7D11 (25 mg/kg, administeredip) as compared to the control. CGRP 8-37 was administered 3-5 minbefore the saphenous nerve stimulation; and antibodies were administered72 hours before the saphenous nerve stimulation. As shown in FIG. 3,blood flow increase stimulated by applying electronic pulses onsaphenous nerve was inhibited by the presence of antibody 4901 atdifferent doses (1 mg/kg, 2.5 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, and 25 mg/kg) administeredintravenously at 24 h before the saphenous nerve stimulation.

For experiments shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, saphenous nerve was exposedsurgically before antibody administration. The saphenous nerve of theright hindlimb was exposed surgically, cut proximally and covered withplastic wrap to prevent drying. A laser Doppler probe was placed overthe medio-dorsal side of the hindpaw skin, which is the regioninnervated by the saphenous nerve. Skin blood flow, measured as bloodcell flux, was monitored with a laser Doppler flow meter. Thirty toforty five minutes after bretylium tosylate injection, when a stablebase-line flux (less than 5% variation) was established for at least 5min, the nerve was placed over platium bipolar electrodes andelectrically stimulated (2 Hz, 10V, 1 ms, for 30 sec) and again 20minutes later. The average of the blood flow flux response to these twostimulations was used to establish the baseline response (time 0) toelectrical stimulation. Antibody 4901 (1 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg), antibody7E9 (10 mg/kg), antibody 8B6 (10 mg/kg), or vehicle (PBS with 0.01%Tween 20) were then administered intravenously (i.v.). The nerve wassubsequently stimulated (2 Hz, 10V, 1 ms, for 30 sec) at 30 min, 60 min,90 min, and 120 min after antibody or vehicle administration. Animalswere kept under anesthesia for a period of approximately three hours.Cumulative change in skin blood flow was estimated by the area under theflux-time curve (AUC, which is equal to change in flux multiplied bychange in time) for each flux response to electrical pulse stimulations.

As shown in FIG. 4A, blood flow increase stimulated by applyingelectronic pulses on saphenous nerve was significantly inhibited by thepresence of antibody 4901 1 mg/kg administered i.v., when electronicpulse stimulation was applied at 60 min, 90 min, and 120 min after theantibody administration, and blood flow increase stimulated by applyingelectronic pulses on saphenous nerve was significantly inhibited by thepresence of antibody 4901 10 mg/kg administered i.v., when electronicpulse stimulation was applied at 30 min, 60 min, 90 min, and 120 minafter the antibody administration. FIG. 4B shows that blood flowincrease stimulated by applying electronic pulses on saphenous nerve wassignificantly inhibited by the presence of antibody 7E9 (10 mg/kg,administered i.v.) when electronic pulse stimulation was applied at 30min, 60 min, 90 min, and 120 min after antibody administration, and bythe presence of antibody 8B6 (10 mg/kg, administered i.v.) whenelectronic pulse stimulation was applied at 30 min after antibodyadministration.

These data indicate that antibodies 4901, 7E9, 7D11, and 8B6 areeffective in blocking CGRP activity as measured by skin vasodilatationinduced by stimulation of rat saphenous nerve.

Example 4 Characterization of Anti-CGRP Antibody G1 and its Variants

Amino acid sequences for the heavy chain variable region and light chainvariable region of anti-CGRP antibody G1 are shown in FIG. 5. Thefollowing methods were used for expression and characterization ofantibody G1 and its variants.

Expression vector used. Expression of the Fab fragment of the antibodieswas under control of an IPTG inducible lacZ promoter similar to thatdescribed in Barbas (2001) Phage display: a laboratory manual, ColdSpring Harbor, N.Y., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press pg 2.10. VectorpComb3X), however, modifications included addition and expression of thefollowing additional domains: the human Kappa light chain constantdomain and the CH1 constant domain of IgG2 human immunoglobulin, Iggamma-2 chain C region, protein accession number P01859; Immunoglobulinkappa light chain (homosapiens), protein accession number CAA09181.

Small scale Fab preparation. From E. Coli transformed (either usingelectroporation-competent TG1 cells or chemically-competent Top 10cells) with a Fab library, single colonies were used to inoculate both amaster plate (agar LB+carbenicillin (50 ug/mL)+2% glucose) and a workingplate (2 mL/well, 96-well/plate) where each well contained 1.5 mLLB+carbenicillin (50 ug/mL)+2% glucose. A gas permeable adhesive seal(ABgene, Surrey, UK) was applied to the plate. Both plates wereincubated at 30° C. for 12-16 h; the working plate was shakenvigorously. The master plate was stored at 4° C. until needed, while thecells from the working plate were pelleted (4000 rpm, 4° C., 20 mins)and resuspended in 1.0 mL LB+carbenicillin (50 ug/mL)+0.5 mM IPTG toinduce expression of Fabs by vigorous shaking for 5 h at 30° C. Inducedcells were centrifuges at 4000 rpm, 4° C. for 20 mins and resuspended in0.6 mL Biacore HB-SEP buffer (10 mM Hepes pH 7.4, 150 mM NaCl, 3 mMEDTA, 0.005% v/v P20). Lysis of HB-SEP resuspended cells wasaccomplished by freezing (−80° C.) and then thawing at 37° C. Celllysates were centrifuged at 4000 rpm, 4° C. for 1 hour to separate thedebris from the Fab-containing supernatants, which were subsequentlyfiltered (0.2 um) using a Millipore MultiScreen Assay System 96-WellFiltration Plate and vacuum manifold. Biacore was used to analyzefiltered supernatants by injecting them across CGRPs on the sensor chip.Affinity-selected clones expressing Fabs were rescued from the masterplate, which provided template DNA for PCR, sequencing, and plasmidpreparation.

Large scale Fab preparation. To obtain kinetic parameters, Fabs wereexpressed on a larger scale as follows. Erlenmeyer flasks containing 150mL LB+carbenicillin (50 ug/mL)+2% glucose were inoculated with 1 mL of a“starter” overnight culture from an affinity-selected Fab-expressing E.Coli clone. The remainder of the starter culture (˜3 mL) was used toprepare plasmid DNA (QIAprep mini-prep, Qiagen kit) for sequencing andfurther manipulation. The large culture was incubated at 30° C. withvigorous shaking until an OD_(600nm) of 1.0 was attained (typically12-16 h). The cells were pelleted by centrifuging at 4000 rpm, 4° C. for20 mins, and resuspended in 150 mL LB+carbenicillin (50 ug/mL)+0.5 mMIPTG. After 5 h expression at 30° C., cells were pelleted bycentrifuging at 4000 rpm, 4° C. for 20 mins, resuspended in 10 mLBiacore HBS-EP buffer, and lysed using a single freeze (−80° C.)/thaw(37° C.) cycle. Cell lysates were pelleted by centrifuging at 4000 rpm,4° C. for 1 hour, and the supernatant was collected and filtered (0.2um). Filtered supernatants were loaded onto Ni-NTA superflow sepharose(Qiagen, Valencia. CA) columns equilibrated with PBS, pH 8, then washedwith 5 column volumes of PBS, pH 8. Individual Fabs eluted in differentfractions with PBS (pH 8)+300 mM Imidazole. Fractions containing Fabswere pooled and dialyzed in PBS, then quantified by ELISA prior toaffinity characterization.

Full antibody preparation. For expression of full antibodies, heavy andlight chain variable regions were cloned in mammalian expression vectorsand transfected using lipofectamine into HEK 293 cells for transientexpression. Antibodies were purified using protein A using standardmethods.

Vector pDb.CGRP.hFcGI is an expression vector comprising the heavy chainof the G1 antibody, and is suitable for transient or stable expressionof the heavy chain. Vector pDb.CGRP.hFcGI has nucleotide sequencescorresponding to the following regions: the murine cytomegaloviruspromoter region (nucleotides 7-612); a synthetic intron (nucleotides613-1679); the DHFR coding region (nucleotides 688-1253); human growthhormone signal peptide (nucleotides 1899-1976); heavy chain variableregion of G1 (nucleotides 1977-2621); human heavy chain IgG2 constantregion containing the following mutations: A330P331 to S330S331 (aminoacid numbering with reference to the wildtype IgG2 sequence; see Eur. J.Immunol. (1999) 29:2613-2624). Vector pDb.CGRP.hFcGI was deposited atthe ATCC on Jul. 15, 2005, and was assigned ATCC Accession No. PTA-6867.

Vector pEb.CGRP.hKGI is an expression vector comprising the light chainof the G1 antibody, and is suitable for transient expression of thelight chain. Vector pEb.CGRP.hKGI has nucleotide sequences correspondingto the following regions: the murine cytomegalovirus promoter region(nucleotides 2-613); human EF-1 intron (nucleotides 614-1149); humangrowth hormone signal peptide (nucleotides 1160-1237); antibody G1 lightchain variable region (nucleotides 1238-1558); human kappa chainconstant region (nucleotides 1559-1882). Vector pEb.CGRP.hKGI wasdeposited at the ATCC on Jul. 15, 2005, and was assigned ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-6866.

Biacore assay for affinity determination. Affinities of G1 monoclonalantibody and its variants were determined at either 25° C. or 37° C.using the Biacore3000™ surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system (Biacore,INC, Piscataway N.J.). Affinity was determined by capturing N-terminallybiotinylated CGRP or fragments via pre-immobilized streptavidin (SAsensor chip) and measuring the binding kinetics of antibody G1 Fabfragments or variants titrated across the CGRP or fragment on the chip.All Biacore assays were conducted in HBS-EP running buffer (10 mM HEPESpH 7.4, 150 mM NaCl, 3 mM EDTA, 0.005% v/v polysorbate P20). CGRPsurfaces were prepared by diluting the N-biotinylated CGRP to aconcentration of less than 0.001 mg/mL into HBS-EP buffer and injectingit across the SA sensor chip using variable contact times. Low capacitysurfaces, corresponding to capture levels <50 response units (RU) wereused for high-resolution kinetic studies, whereas high capacity surfaces(about 800 RU of captured CGRP) were used for concentration studies,screening, and solution affinity determinations. Kinetic data wereobtained by diluting antibody G1 Fab serially in two- or three-foldincrements to concentrations spanning 1 uM-0.1 nM (aimed at 0.1-10×estimated K_(D)). Samples were typically injected for 1 minute at 100μL/min and dissociation times of at least 10 minutes were allowed. Aftereach binding cycle, surfaces were regenerated with 25 mM NaOH in 25% v/vethanol, which was tolerated over hundreds of cycles. An entiretitration series (typically generated in duplicate) was fit globally toa 1:1 Langmuir binding model using the BIAevaluation program. Thisreturned a unique pair of association and dissociation kinetic rateconstants (respectively, k_(on) and k_(off)) for each bindinginteraction, whose ratio gave the equilibrium dissociation constant(K_(D)=k_(off)/k_(on)). Affinities (K_(D) values) determined in this wayare listed in Tables 6 and 7.

High-resolution analysis of binding interactions with extremely slowoffrates. For interactions with extremely slow offrates (in particular,antibody G1 Fab binding to human α-CGRP on the chip at 25° C.),affinities were obtained in a two-part experiment. The protocoldescribed above was used with the following modifications. Theassociation rate constant (k_(on)) was determined by injecting a 2-foldtitration series (in duplicate) spanning 550 nM-1 nM for 30 sec at 100uL/min and allowing only a 30 sec dissociation phase. The dissociationrate constant (k_(off)) was determined by injecting three concentrations(high, medium, and low) of the same titration series in duplicate for 30sec and allowing a 2-hour dissociation phase. The affinity (K_(D)) ofeach interaction was obtained by combining the k_(on) and k_(off) valuesobtained in both types of experiments, as shown in Table 5.

Determining solution affinity by Biacore. The solution affinity ofantibody G1 for rat α-CGRP and F37A (19-37) human α-CGRP was measured byBiacore at 37° C. A high capacity CGRP chip surface was used (thehigh-affinity human α-CGRP was chosen for detection purposes) and HBS-EPrunning buffer was flowed at 5 uL/min. Antibody G1 Fab fragment at aconstant concentration of 5 nM (aimed to be at or below the expectedK_(D) of the solution-based interaction) was pre-incubated withcompeting peptide, either rat α-CGRP or F37A (19-37) human α-CGRP, atfinal concentrations spanning 1 nM to 1 uM in 3-fold serial dilutions.Antibody G1 Fab solutions in the absence or presence of solution-basedcompeting peptide, were injected across CGRP on the chip and thedepletion of binding responses detected at the chip surface as a resultof solution competition was monitored. These binding responses wereconverted to “free Fab concentrations” using a calibration curve, whichwas constructed by titrating antibody G1 Fab alone (5, 2.5, 1.25, 0.625,0.325 and 0 nM) across the CGRP on the chip. “Free Fab concentrations”were plotted against the concentration of competing solution-basedpeptide used to generate each data point and fit to a solution affinitymodel using the BIAevaluation software. The solution affinitiesdetermined (indirectly) in this way are shown in Tables 5 and 7 and wereused to validate the affinities obtained when Fabs are injected directlyacross N-biotinylated CGRPs on a SA chip. The close agreement betweenthe affinities determined by these two methods confirms that tetheringan N-biotinylated version of the CGRP to the chip does not alter itsnative solution binding activity.

Table 5 below shows the binding affinities of antibody G1 to humanα-CGRP, human β-CGRP, rat α-CGRP, and rat β-CGRP determined by Biacore,by flowing Fab fragments across N-biotinylated CGRPs on a SA chip. Tobetter resolve the affinities of binding interactions with extremelyslow offrates, affinities were also determined in a two-part experimentto complement this assay orientation, the solution affinity of the ratα-CGRP interaction was also determined (as described above). The closeagreement of the affinities measured in both assay orientations confirmsthat the binding affinity of the native rat α-CGRP in solution is notaltered when it is N-biotinylated and tethered to a SA chip.

TABLE 5 Binding affinities of antibody G1 Fabs titrated across CGRPs onthe chip Temp. CGRP on chip (° C.) k_(on) (1/Ms) k_(off) (1/s) K_(D)(nM) Human α- 25 1.86 × 10⁵ 7.80 × 10⁻⁶ 0.042 (7%, n = 4)* CGRP Human α-37 5.78 × 10⁵ 3.63 × 10⁻⁵ 0.063 (4%, n = 2)* CGRP Human β- 37 4.51 × 10⁵6.98 × 10⁻⁵ 0.155 CGRP Rat α-CGRP 25 5.08 × 10⁴ 6.18 × 10⁻⁵  1.22 (12%,n = 2)* Rat α-CGRP 37 1.55 × 10⁵ 3.99 × 10⁻⁴ 2.57* (Solution K_(D) = 10(50% n = 4)** Rat β-CGRP 37 5.16 × 10⁵ 7.85 × 10⁻⁵ 0.152 *Affinities forα-CGRPs (rat and human) were determined in a high-resolution two-partexperiment, in which the dissociation phase was monitored for 2 hours(the values for k_(on), k_(off), and K_(D) represent the average of nreplicate experiments with the standard deviation expressed as a percentvariance). Affinities for β-CGRPs (rat and human) were determined byglobal analysis using only a 20-min dissociation phase, which was notaccurate enough to quantify their extremely offrates (their offrates arelikely slower than stated here and therefore their affinities are likelyeven higher). Antibody G1 Fab dissociated extremely slowly from allCGRPs (except α-rat CGRP) with offrates that approached the resolutionlimit of the Biacore assay (especially at 25° C.). **Solution affinitydetermined by measuring the depletion of binding responses detected atCGRP on the chip for antibody G1 Fab pre-incubated with solution-basedrat α-CGRP competitor.

Table 6 below shows antibodies having the amino acid sequence variationas compared to antibody G1 and their affinities to both rat α-CGRP andhuman α-CGRP. All amino acid substitutions of the variants shown inTable 6 are described relative to the sequence of G1. The bindingaffinities of Fab fragments were determined by Biacore by flowing themacross CGRPs on a SA chip.

TABLE 6 Amino acid sequences and binding affinity data for antibody G1variants determined at 37° C. by Biacore. α-rat α-rat α-human α-humanClone L1 L2 H2 HC-FW3 k_(off) (1/s) K_(D) (nM) k_(off) (1/s) K_(D) (nM)G1 3.99 × 10⁻⁴   2.57 3.63 × 10⁻⁵  0.063 M1 A100L 1.10 × 10⁻³ 1.73 ×10⁻⁴ M2 L99A  2.6 × 10⁻³ 58   3.1 × 10⁻⁴ 3   A100R M3 L99A  2.0 × 10⁻³61   2.1 × 10⁻⁴ 1.7  A100S M4 L99A 1.52 × 10⁻³  84.4 6.95 × 10⁻⁵ 0.43A100V M5 L99A 7.35 × 10⁻⁴  40.8 3.22 × 10⁻⁵ 0.20 A100Y M6 L99N 7.84 ×10⁻⁴  43.6 1.33 × 10⁻⁴ 0.83 M7 L99N 9.18 × 10⁻⁴  51.0 2.43 × 10⁻⁴ 1.52A100C M8 L99N 7.45 × 10⁻⁴  41.4 9.20 × 10⁻⁵ 0.58 A100G M9 L99N n.d. n.d.1.00 × 10⁻⁵ 0.06 A100Y M10 L99S 1.51 × 10⁻³  83.9 1.73 × 10⁻⁴ 1.08 A100SM11 L99S 4.83 × 10⁻³ 268.3 2.83 × 10⁻⁴ 1.77 A100T M12 L99S 1.94 × 10⁻³107.8 1.01 × 10⁻⁴ 0.63 A100V M13 L99T 1.84 × 10⁻³ 102.2 1.86 × 10⁻⁴ 1.16A100G M14 L99T n.d. n.d. 1.00 × 10⁻⁵ 0.06 A100K M15 L99T 1.15 × 10⁻³ 63.9 1.58 × 10⁻⁵ 0.10 A100P M16 L99T 9.96 × 10⁻⁴  55.3 1.65 × 10⁻⁴ 1.03A100S M17 L99T 2.06 × 10⁻³ 114.4 1.85 × 10⁻⁴ 1.16 A100V M18 L99V 1.22 ×10⁻³  67.8 7.03 × 10⁻⁵ 0.44 A100G M19 L99V n.d. n.d. 1.00 × 10⁻⁵ 0.06A100R M20 R28W L99R 1.44 × 10⁻³  80.0 1.36 × 10⁻⁴ 0.85 A100L M21 R28WL99S 6.95 × 10⁻⁴  15.2 1.42 × 10⁻⁴ 1.23 M22 R28W L99T 1.10 × 10⁻³  61.11.16 × 10⁻⁴ 0.73 M23 R28G L99T 7.99 × 10⁻⁴  44.4 1.30 × 10⁻⁴ 0.81 A100VM24 R28L L99T 1.04 × 10⁻³  57.8 1.48 × 10⁻⁴ 0.93 A100V M25 R28N L99T 1.4 × 10⁻³ 76  1.4 × 10⁻⁴ 1.3  A100V M26 R28N A57G L99T 9.24 × 10⁻⁴ 51.3 1.48 × 10⁻⁴ 0.93 A100V M27 R28N L99T 3.41 × 10⁻³ 189.4 3.57 × 10⁻⁴2.23 T30A A100V M28 R28N E54R L99T 1.25 × 10⁻³  69.4 9.96 × 10⁻⁵ 0.62T30D A57N A100V M29 R28N L99T 3.59 × 10⁻³ 199.4 3.80 × 10⁻⁴ 2.38 T30GA100V M30 R28N E54K L99T 6.38 × 10⁻³ 354.4 5.90 × 10⁻⁴ 3.69 T30G A57EA100V M31 R28N E54K L99T 3.61 × 10⁻³ 200.6 3.47 × 10⁻⁴ 2.17 T30G A57GA100V M32 R28N E54K L99T 2.96 × 10⁻³ 164.4 2.71 × 10⁻⁴ 1.69 T30G A57HA100V M33 R28N E54K L99T 9.22 × 10⁻³ 512.2 7.50 × 10⁻⁴ 4.69 T30G A57NA100V S58G M34 R28N E54K L99T 2.17 × 10⁻³ 120.6 6.46 × 10⁻⁴ 4.04 T30GA57N A100V S58T M35 R28N E54K L99T 3.99 × 10⁻³ 221.7 3.39 × 10⁻⁴ 2.12T30G A57S A100V M36 R28N L99T 4.79 × 10⁻³ 266.1 2.39 × 10⁻⁴ 1.49 T30RA100V M37 R28N A57G L99T 1.45 × 10⁻³  80.6 2.26 × 10⁻⁴ 1.41 T30S A100VM38 R28N L99T 5.11 × 10⁻³ 283.9 2.18 × 10⁻⁴ 1.36 T30W A100V M39 R28NG50A A57N L99T 9.95 × 10⁻³ 552.8 4.25 × 10⁻⁴ 2.66 L56T S58Y A100V M40R28N G50A E54K L99T 0.36  20000.0  1.28 × 10⁻³ 8.00 L56T A57L A100V M41R28N G50A E54K L99T 4.53 × 10⁻³ 251.7 2.10 × 10⁻⁴ 1.31 L56T A57N A100VE64D M42 R28N G50A E54K L99T 7.52 × 10⁻³ 417.8 4.17 × 10⁻⁴ 2.61 L56TA57N A100V H61F M43 R28N G50A E54K L99T 4.53 × 10⁻³ 251.7 2.63 × 10⁻⁴1.64 L56T A57N A100V S58C M44 R28N G50A E54K L99T 6.13 × 10⁻³ 443  2.10 × 10⁻⁴ 2.05 L56T A57N A100V S58E M45 R28N G50A E54K L99T5.58 × 10⁻³ 259   2.11 × 10⁻⁴ 1.85 L56T A57N A100V S58E E64D M46 R28NG50A E54K L99T 2.94 × 10⁻³ 163.3 5.39 × 10⁻⁴ 3.37 L56T A57N A100V S58EH61F M47 R28N G50A E54K L99T 8.23 × 10⁻³ 457.2 3.32 × 10⁻⁴ 2.08 L56TA57N A100V S58G M48 R28N G50A E54K L99T 0.0343 1905.6  8.42 × 10⁻⁴ 5.26L56T A57N A100V S58L M49 R28N G50A E54K L99T 0.0148 822.2 5.95 × 10⁻⁴3.72 L56T A57N A100V S58Y H61F M50 R28N G50A E54K L99T 5.30 × 10⁻³ 294.44.06 × 10⁻⁴ 2.54 L56T A57R A100V M51 R28N L56I E54K L99T 1.18 × 10⁻³ 65.6 1.31 × 10⁻⁴ 0.82 A57G A100V M52 R28N L56I E54K L99T 2.29 × 10⁻³127.2 2.81 × 10⁻⁴ 1.76 A57N A100V S58A M53 R28N L56I E54K L99T 1.91 ×10⁻³ 106.1 3.74 × 10⁻⁴ 2.34 A57N A100V S58G M54 R28N G50A E54K L99T 2.16× 10⁻³ 120.0 1.79 × 10⁻³ 11.19  T30A A57N A100V S58P M55 R28N L56S E54KL99T 5.85 × 10⁻³ 325.0 4.78 × 10⁻⁴ 2.99 T30A A57N A100V S58E E64D M56R28N L56S E54K L99T 9.35 × 10⁻³ 519.4 4.79 × 10⁻⁴ 2.99 T30D A57N A100VH61F M57 R28N L56S E54K L99T 0.0104 1,200 3.22 × 10⁻⁴ 3.08 T30D A57NA100V S58E M58 R28N L56S E54K L99T No binding n.d. 1.95 × 10⁻³ 12.19 T30D A57N A100V S58I H61F M59 R28N L56S E54K L99T 0.0123 683.3 5.24 ×10⁻⁴ 3.28 T30D A57N A100V S58N H61F M60 R28N L56S E54K L99T 0.02721511.1  9.11 × 10⁻⁴ 5.69 T30D A57N A100V S58R H61F M61 R28N A51H E54QL99T 5.21 × 10⁻³ 289.4 4.59 × 10⁻⁴ 2.87 T30G A57N A100V H61F M62 R28NA51H E54K L99T 5.75 × 10⁻³ 242   5.57 × 10⁻⁴ 5.86 T30G L56T A57N A100VS58E M63 R28N G50A E54K L99T 2.65 × 10⁻³ 147.2 1.50 × 10⁻³ 9.38 T30GA57N A100V S58T M64 R28N G50A E54K L99T 0.0234 1300.0  1.32 × 10⁻³ 8.25T30G A57N A100V S58V M65 R28N G50A E54K L99T 4.07 × 10⁻³ 226.1 8.03 ×10⁻⁴ 5.02 T30G L56I A57C A100V M66 R28N L56I E54K L99T 5.11 × 10⁻³ 283.95.20 × 10⁻⁴ 3.25 T30G A57E A100V M67 R28N L56I E54K L99T 1.71 × 10⁻³ 95.0 8.20 × 10⁻⁴ 5.13 T30G A57F A100V M68 R28N L56I E54K L99T 6.76 ×10⁻³ 375.6 4.28 × 10⁻⁴ 2.68 T30G A57N A100V S58D E64D M69 R28N L56I E54KL99T 1.81 × 10⁻³ 100.6 7.33 × 10⁻⁴ 4.58 T30G A57N A100V S58E M70 R28NL56I E54K L99T 6.07 × 10⁻³ 337.2 5.59 × 10⁻⁴ 3.49 T30G A57S A100V M71R28N L56I E54K L99T 2.12 × 10⁻³ 117.8 1.28 × 10⁻³ 8.00 T30G A57Y A100VM72 R28N L56S E54K L99T 3.95 × 10⁻³ 219.4 4.00 × 10⁻⁴ 2.50 T30G A100VM73 R28N L56S E54K L99T 3.00 × 10⁻³ 166.7 2.55 × 10⁻⁴ 1.59 T30G A57NA100V S58Y E64D M74 R28N L56S E54K L99T 6.03 × 10⁻³ 335.0 5.97 × 10⁻⁴3.73 T30G A57S A100V M75 R28N L56S E54K L99T 1.87 × 10⁻² 1038.9  1.16 ×10⁻³ 7.25 T30G A57V A100V M76 R28N G50A A57G L99T 1.16 × 10⁻³  64.4 3.64× 10⁻⁴ 2.28 T30S L56T A100V M77 R28N G50A E54K L99T 0.0143 794.4 4.77 ×10⁻⁴ 2.98 T30S L56T A57D A100V M78 R28N G50A E54K L99T 0.167  9277.8 1.31 × 10⁻³ 8.19 T30S L56T A57N A100V S58T M79 R28N G50A E54K L99T 0.19 10555.6  1.29 × 10⁻³ 8.06 T30S L56T A57P A100V M80 R28N L56I E54K L99T0.0993 5516.7  2.09 × 10⁻³ 13.06 T30S A57N A100V S58V M81 R28N L56S E54KL99T 4.29 × 10⁻³ 238.3 4.90 × 10⁻⁴ 3.06 T30S A57N A100V S58E M82 R28NA51H A57N L99T 6.99 × 10⁻³ 388.3 8.77 × 10⁻⁴ 5.48 T30V L56T A100V M83R28N A51H E54K L99T No binding n.d. 9.33 × 10⁻⁴ 5.83 T30V L56T A57NA100V S58M H61F M84 R28N A51H E54N L99T 1.76 × 10⁻² 977.8 1.08 × 10⁻³6.75 T30V L56T A57N A100V All CDRs including both Kabat and ChothiaCDRs. Amino acid residues are numbered sequentially (see FIG. 5). Allclones have L3 + H1 + H3 sequences identical to G1. K_(D) =k_(off)/k_(on). All k_(off) values were determined in a screening modeexcept those that are underlined, which were obtained by global analysisof a Fab concentration series (G1 was analyzed in a high-resolutionmode). Underlined K_(D) values were therefore determined experimentallyby measuring k_(on). Other k_(on) values were estimated to be the sameas M25. n.d. = not determined

To determine the epitope on human α-CGRP that is recognized by antibodyG1, Biacore assays described above were used. Human α-CGRP was purchasedas an N-biotinylated version to enable its high-affinity capture via SAsensor chips. The binding of G1 Fab fragment to the human α-CGRP on thechip in the absence or presence of a CGRP peptide was determined.Typically, a 2000:1 mol peptide/Fab solution (e.g., 10 uM peptide in 50nM G1 Fab) was injected across human α-CGRP on the chip. FIG. 6 showsthe percentage of binding blocked by competing peptide. Data shown inFIG. 6 indicate that peptides that block 100% binding of G1 Fab to humanα-CGRP are 1-37 (WT), 8-37, 26-37, P29A (19-37), K35A (19-37), K35E(19-37), and K35M (19-37) of human α-CGRP; 1-37 of β-CGRP (WT); 1-37 ofrat α-CGRP (WT); and 1-37 of rat β-CGRP (WT). All these peptides areamidated at the C-terminus. Peptides F37A (19-37) and 19-37 (the latternot amidated at the C-terminus) of human α-CGRP also blocked about 80%to 90% of binding of G1 Fab to human α-CGRP. Peptide 1-36 (not amidatedat the C-terminus) of human α-CGRP blocked about 40% of binding of G1Fab to human α-CGRP. Peptide fragment 19-36 (amidated at the C-terminus)of human α-CGRP; peptide fragments 1-13 and 1-19 of human α-CGRP(neither of which are amidated at the C-terminus); and human amylin,calcitonin, and adrenomedullin (all amidated at the C-terminus) did notcompete with binding of G1 Fab to human α-CGRP on the chip. These datademonstrate that G1 targets a C-terminal epitope of CGRP and that boththe identity of the most terminal residue (F37) and its amidation isimportant for binding.

Binding affinities of G1 Fab to variants of human α-CGRP (at 37° C.) wasalso determined. Table 7 below shows the affinities as measured directlyby titrating G1 Fab across N-biotinylated human α-CGRP and variants onthe chip. Data in Table 7 indicate that antibody G1 binds to aC-terminal epitope with F37 and G33 being the most important residues.G1 does not bind to CGRP when an extra amino acid residue (alanine) isadded at the C-terminal (which is amidated).

TABLE 7 Binding affinities of G1 Fab to human α-CGRP and variantsmeasured at 37° C. (see Table 4 for their amino acid sequences) CGRP onchip k_(on) (1/Ms) k_(off) (1/s) K_(D) (nM) 1-37 (WT) 4.68 × 10⁵ 7.63 ×10⁻⁵ 0.16 (high resolution K_(D) = 0.06) 19-37 4.60 × 10⁵ 7.30 × 10⁻⁵0.16 25-37 3.10 × 10⁵ 8.80 × 10⁻⁵ 0.28 F27A (25-37) 3.25 × 10⁵ 1.24 ×10⁻⁴ 0.38 V28A (25-37) 3.32 × 10⁵ 9.38 × 10⁻⁵ 0.28 P29A (25-37) 2.26 ×10⁵ 1.78 × 10⁻⁴ 0.79 T30A (25-37) 1.79 × 10⁵ 8.41 × 10⁻⁵ 0.47 N31A(25-37) 2.17 × 10⁵ 1.14 × 10⁻⁴ 0.53 V32A (25-37) 2.02 × 10⁵ 3.46 × 10⁻⁴1.71 G33A (25-37) 2.07 × 10⁵ 0.0291 141 S34A (25-37) 2.51 × 10⁵ 7.64 ×10⁻⁴ 3.04 K35A (19-37) 2.23 × 10⁵ 2.97 × 10⁻⁴ 1.33 K35E (19-37) 5.95 ×10⁴ 5.79 × 10⁻⁴ 9.73 K35M (19-37) 2.63 × 10⁵ 1.34 × 10⁻⁴ 0.51 K35Q(19-37) 1.95 × 10⁵ 2.70 × 10⁻⁴ 1.38 F37A (25-37) 8.90 × 10⁴ 8.48 × 10⁻³95 (solution K_(D) = 172 nM) 38A (25-38A) — — No binding detected

The above data indicate that the epitope that antibody G1 binds is onthe C-terminal end of human α-CGRP, and amino acids 33 and 37 on humanα-CGRP are important for binding of antibody G1. Also, the amidation ofresidue F37 is important for binding.

Example 5 Effect of Anti-CGRP Antagonist Antibody G1 on SkinVasodilatation Induced by Stimulation of Rat Saphenous Nerve

To test antagonist activity of anti-CGRP antibody G1, effect of theantibody on skin vasodilatation by stimulation of rat saphenous nervewas tested using a rat model described in Example 3. Briefly, rats weremaintained anesthesia with 2% isoflurane. Bretylium tosylate (30 mg/kg,administered i.v.) was given at the beginning of the experiment tominimize vasoconstriction due to the concomitant stimulation ofsympathetic fibers of the saphenous nerve. Body temperature wasmaintained at 37° C. by the use of a rectal probe thermostaticallyconnected to a temperature controlled heating blanket. The saphenousnerve of the right hindlimb was exposed surgically, cut proximally andcovered with plastic wrap to prevent drying. A laser Doppler probe wasplaced over the medio-dorsal side of the hindpaw skin, which is theregion innervated by the saphenous nerve. Skin blood flow, measured asblood cell flux, was monitored with a laser Doppler flow meter. Inexperiments to determine effects of antibody within two hours ofinjection thirty to forty five minutes after bretylium tosylateinjection, when a stable base-line flux (less than 5% variation) wasestablished for at least 5 min, the nerve was placed over platiumbipolar electrodes and electrically stimulated (2 Hz, 10V, 1 ms, for 30sec) and again 20 minutes later. The average of the blood flow fluxresponse to these two stimulations was used to establish the baselineresponse (time 0) to electrical stimulation. Antibody G1 (1 mg/kg or 10mg/kg) or vehicle (PBS with 0.01% Tween 20 equal volume to 10 mg/kg G1)were then administered intravenously (i.v.). The nerve was subsequentlystimulated (2 Hz, 10V, 1 ms, for 30 sec) at 30 min, 60 min, 90 min, and120 min after the antibody administration. Animals were kept underanesthesia for a period of approximately three hours. Cumulative changein skin blood flow was estimated by the area under the flux-time curve(AUC, which is equal to change in flux multiplied by change in time) foreach flux response to electrical pulse stimulations.

As shown in FIG. 7, blood flow increase stimulated by applyingelectronic pulses on saphenous nerve was significantly inhibited by thepresence of antibody G1 at 1 mg/kg (administered i.v.) as compared tothe vehicle, when the saphenous nerve was electrically stimulated at 90min after the antibody administration. Blood flow increase stimulated byapplying electronic pulses on saphenous nerve was significantlyinhibited by the presence of antibody G1 at 10 mg/kg (administered i.v.)as compared to the vehicle, when the saphenous nerve was electricallystimulated at 90 minutes and 120 minutes after antibody administration.

In experiments to determine effects of the antibodies at longer timepoints in the saphenous assay, rats were injected i.v. with theindicated doses of antibody 24 hours or 7 days prior to preparing theanimal for saphenous nerve stimulation as described above. In theseexperiments it was impossible to establish a baseline response inindividual rats to electrical pulse stimulation prior to dosing, sotreated groups were compared to animals dosed with vehicle (PBS, 0.01%Tween 20) at 24 hours or 7 days.

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B blood flow increases in the dorso-medialhindpaw skin evoked by saphenous nerve stimulation were significantlyinhibited in the groups of animals dosed with either 10 mg/kg or 3 mg/kgG1 at either 24 hours or 7 days prior to stimulation as compared tovehicle groups dosed at the same time points.

FIG. 8C represents a curve fit analysis applied to the dose responsedata represented in FIGS. 8A and 8B to determine the dose required for50% maximal effect (EC₅₀). The EC₅₀ at 24 hours is 1.3 mg/kg and theEC₅₀ at 7 days is slightly lower (0.8 mg/kg).

Example 6 Acute Effect of Anti-CGRP Antagonist Antibody G1 in a DuralArtery (Closed Cranial Window) Assay

Closed Cranial Window Model: The purpose of this experiment was todetermine the acute effect of anti-CGRP antagonist antibodies andcompare it with the acute effect of the CGRP receptor antagonistBIBN4096BS. Experiments were carried out as previously described(Williamson et al., Cephalalgia 17(4):518-24 (1997)) with the followingmodifications. Sprague Dawley rats (300-400 g) were anesthetized with 70mg/kg i.p. pentobarbital. Anesthesia was maintained with 20 mg/kg/hri.v. pentobarbital. Rats were cannulated through the jugular vein fordelivery of all drugs. Blood pressure was monitored with a probe(mikro-tip catheter, Millar Instruments) threaded through the femoralartery into the abdominal aorta. The rats were tracheotomized andbreathing rate was maintained at 75 breaths per minute at a volume of3.5 mL. After fixating the head in a stereotactic instrument andremoving the scalp, a 2×6 mm window in the left parietal area justlateral to the sagittal suture was made by thinning the bone with adental drill. Using a micromanipulator, a platinum bipolar electrode waslowered onto the surface and covered with heavy mineral oil. Lateral tothe electrode window another window of 5×6 mm was created and filledwith heavy mineral oil through which the diameter of a branch of themiddle meningeal artery (MMA) was continuously monitored with a CCDcamera and a video dimension analyzer (Living Systems). The rats wererested for no less than 45 minutes after the preparation. A baselineresponse to electrical stimulation was established (15 V, 10 hz, 0.5 mspulses, 30 seconds) and then rats were dosed i.v. with experimentalcompound (10 mg/kg mu7E9, 300 μg/kg BIBN4096BS or PBS 0.01% Tween 20).Additional electrical stimulations were done at 5 (BIBN4096BS), 30, 60,90 and 120 minutes after dosing. All data was recorded using chartsoftware (ADInstruments).

As shown in FIG. 9 mu7E9 at 10 mg/kg significantly blocks MMA dilationevoked by electrical field stimulation within 60 minutes after dosingand maintains the effect throughout the duration of the assay (120minutes). For comparison BIBN4096BS blocks MMA dilation within 5 minutesof dosing but the effect has completely disappeared by 90 minutes. Themagnitude of the block is comparable between BIBN4096BS and mu7E9.

Example 7 Chronic Effect of Anti-CGRP Antagonist Antibody G1 in a DuralArtery (Closed Cranial Window) Assay

The purpose of this experiment was to determine if the anti CGRPantibody could still block electrically stimulated MMA dilation 7 daysafter dosing. Preparation of the rats was identical to the abovedescribed acute experiment (Example 6) with the following exceptions.Rats were injected i.v. (10 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg G1) 7 days priorto creating the closed cranial window prep and stimulation. It wasimpossible to establish a baseline dilation response to electricalstimulation prior to dosing as in the acute experiment so the antibodygroups were compared to dilation of the MMA in a vehicle (PBS, 0.01%Tween 20) dosed control group. After the rats were allowed to rest forno less than 45 minutes the dura was electrically stimulated at 30minute intervals. Stimulations were at 2.5V, 5V, 10V, 15V and 20V, allat 10 hz, 0.5 ms pulses for 30 seconds.

As shown in FIG. 10 G1 at 10 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg significantly blocked MMAdilation evoked by electrical stimulation in the range of 10 to 20volts. This data demonstrates that G1 can block electrically stimulatedMMA dilation up to 7 days after dosing.

Example 8 Morphine Withdrawal Hot Flush Model

The morphine withdrawal rat model is an established rodent model formenopausal hot flush mechanisms (Sipe et al., Brain Res. 1028(2):191-202(2004); Merchenthaler et al., Maturitas 30:307-316 (1998); Katovich etal., Brain Res. 494:85-94 (1989); Simpkins et al., Life Sciences32:1957-1966 (1983)). Basically the rats are addicted to morphine byimplanting morphine pellets under the skin. Upon addiction the animalsare injected with naloxone (opioid antagonist) which sends them intowithdrawal immediately. This withdrawal is accompanied by a skintemperature increase, a core body temperature decrease, an increase inheart rate and an increase in serum luteinizing hormone. These are allsimilar in magnitude and timing to what occurs in human hot flush(Simpkins et al., Life Sciences 32:1957-1966 (1983)). Furthermore, ifrats are treated with estradiol prior to inducing withdrawal, thesymptoms of hot flush are reduced (Merchenthaler et al., Maturitas30:307-316 (1998)). This is why the morphine withdrawal model isbelieved to mimic clinical hot flush.

Ovariectomized rats were ordered from Charles River Laboratories. Notless than 7 days post ovariectomy morphine dependency was created byimplanting a morphine pellet (75 mg morphine base) subcutaneously. Twodays later 2 more pellets were implanted. The following day rats wereinjected intravenously with either 10 mg/kg 4901 [**] or vehicle (PBS,0.01% tween). Two days after the second pelleting the rats wereanesthetized with ketamine (90 mg/kg) and lightly restrained. A surfacetemperature thermocouple was taped to the base of the tail and a rectalthermocouple is used to measure core temperature. Data was recordedusing Chart software (ADInstruments). After recording 15 minutes ofstable baseline temperature, naloxone (1 mg/kg) was injectedsubcutaneously. Temperature was recorded continuously for the next 60minutes. The results are shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B.

It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein arefor illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changesin light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and areto be included within the spirit and purview of this application. Allpublications, patents and patent applications cited herein are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes to the sameextent as if each individual publication, patent or patent applicationwere specifically and individually indicated to be so incorporated byreference.

Deposit of Biological Material

The following materials have been deposited with the American TypeCulture Collection, 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va.20110-2209, USA (ATCC):

ATCC Material Antibody No. Accession No. Date of Deposit pDb.CGRP.hFcGIG1 heavy chain PTA-6867 Jul. 15, 2005 pEb.CGRP.hKGI G1 light chainPTA-6866 Jul. 15, 2005

Vector pEb.CGRP.hKGI is a polynucleotide encoding the G1 light chainvariable region and the light chain kappa constant region; and vectorpDb.CGRP.hFcGI is a polynucleotide encoding the G1 heavy chain variableregion and the heavy chain IgG2 constant region containing the followingmutations: A330P331 to S330S331 (amino acid numbering with reference tothe wildtype IgG2 sequence; see Eur. J. Immunol. (1999) 29:2613-2624).

These deposits were made under the provisions of the Budapest Treaty onthe International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for thePurpose of Patent Procedure and the Regulations thereunder (BudapestTreaty). This assures maintenance of a viable culture of the deposit for30 years from the date of deposit. The deposit will be made available byATCC under the terms of the Budapest Treaty, and subject to an agreementbetween Rinat Neuroscience Corp. and ATCC, which assures permanent andunrestricted availability of the progeny of the culture of the depositto the public upon issuance of the pertinent U.S. patent or upon layingopen to the public of any U.S. or foreign patent application, whichevercomes first, and assures availability of the progeny to one determinedby the U.S. Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks to be entitledthereto according to 35 USC Section 122 and the Commissioner's rulespursuant thereto (including 37 CFR Section 1.14 with particularreference to 886 OG 638).

The assignee of the present application has agreed that if a culture ofthe materials on deposit should die or be lost or destroyed whencultivated under suitable conditions, the materials will be promptlyreplaced on notification with another of the same. Availability of thedeposited material is not to be construed as a license to practice theinvention in contravention of the rights granted under the authority ofany government in accordance with its patent laws.

Antibody Sequences

G1 heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence  (SEQ ID NO: 1)EVQLVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAASGFTFSNYWISWVRQAPGKGLEWVAEIRSESDASATHYAEAVKGRFTISRDNAKNSLYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCLAYFDYGLAIQNYWGQGTLVTVSSG1 light chain variable region amino acid sequence  (SEQ ID NO: 2)EIVLTQSPATLSLSPGERATLSCKASKRVTTYVSWYQQKPGQAPRLLIYGASNRYLGIPARFSGSGSGTDFTLTISSLEPEDFAVYYCSQSYNYPYTFGQGTKLEIK G1 CDR H1 (extended CDR) (SEQ ID NO: 3) GFTFSNYWIS G1 CDR H2 (extended CDR)  (SEQ ID NO: 4)EIRSESDASATHYAEAVKG G1 CDR H3  (SEQ ID NO: 5) YFDYGLAIQNY G1 CDR L1 (SEQ ID NO: 6) KASKRVTTYVS G1 CDR L2  (SEQ ID NO: 7) GASNRYL G1 CDR L3(SEQ ID NO: 8) SQSYNYPYTG1 heavy chain variable region nucleotide sequence  (SEQ ID NO: 9)GAAGTTCAGCTGGTTGAATCCGGTGGTGGTCTGGTTCAGCCAGGTGGTTCCCTGCGTCTGTCCTGCGCTGCTTCCGGTTTCACCTTCTCCAACTACTGGATCTCCTGGGTTCGTCAGGCTCCTGGTAAAGGTCTGGAATGGGTTGCTGAAATCCGTTCCGAATCCGACGCGTCCGCTACCCATTACGCTGAAGCTGTTAAAGGTCGTTTCACCATCTCCCGTGACAACGCTAAGAACTCCCTGTACCTGCAGATGAACTCCCTGCGTGCTGAAGACACCGCTGTTTACTACTGCCTGGCTTACTTTGACTACGGTCTGGCTATCCAGAACTACTGGGGTCAGGGTACCCTGGTTACCGTTTCCTCCG1 light chain variable region nucleotide sequence  (SEQ ID NO: 10)GAAATCGTTCTGACCCAGTCCCCGGCTACCCTGTCCCTGTCCCCAGGTGAACGTGCTACCCTGTCCTGCAAAGCTTCCAAACGGGTTACCACCTACGTTTCCTGGTACCAGCAGAAACCCGGTCAGGCTCCTCGTCTGCTGATCTACGGTGCTTCCAACCGTTACCTCGGTATCCCAGCTCGTTTCTCCGGTTCCGGTTCCGGTACCGACTTCACCCTGACCATCTCCTCCCTGGAACCCGAAGACTTCGCTGTTTACTACTGCAGTCAGTCCTACAACTACCCCTACACCTTCGGTCAGGGTACCAAACTGGAAATCAAAG1 heavy chain full antibody amino acid sequence(including modified IgG2 as described herein)  (SEQ ID NO: 11)EVQLVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAASGFTFSNYWISWVRQAPGKGLEWVAEIRSESDASATHYAEAVKGRFTISRDNAKNSLYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCLAYFDYGLAIQNYWGQGTLVTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPCSRSTSESTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTSGVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSNFGTQTYTCNVDHKPSNTKVDKTVERKCCVECPPCPAPPVAGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVQFNWYVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQFNSTFRVVSVLTVVHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKGLPSSIEKTISKTKGQPREPQVYTLPPSREEMTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQPENNYKTTPPMLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQKSLSLSPGKG1 light chain full antibody amino acid sequence  (SEQ ID NO: 12)EIVLTQSPATLSLSPGERATLSCKASKRVTTYVSWYQQKPGQAPRLLIYGASNRYLGIPARFSGSGSGTDFTLTISSLEPEDFAVYYCSQSYNYPYTFGQGTKLEIKRTVAAPSVFIFPPSDEQLKSGTASVVCLLNNFYPREAKVQWKVDNALQSGNSQESVTEQDSKDSTYSLSSTLTLSKADYEKHKVYACEVTHQGLSSPVTKSFNRGEC G1 heavy chain full antibody nucleotide sequence(including modified IgG2 as described herein)  (SEQ ID NO: 13)GAAGTTCAGCTGGTTGAATCCGGTGGTGGTCTGGTTCAGCCAGGTGGTTCCCTGCGTCTGTCCTGCGCTGCTTCCGGTTTCACCTTCTCCAACTACTGGATCTCCTGGGTTCGTCAGGCTCCTGGTAAAGGTCTGGAATGGGTTGCTGAAATCCGTTCCGAATCCGACGCGTCCGCTACCCATTACGCTGAAGCTGTTAAAGGTCGTTTCACCATCTCCCGTGACAACGCTAAGAACTCCCTGTACCTGCAGATGAACTCCCTGCGTGCTGAAGACACCGCTGTTTACTACTGCCTGGCTTACTTTGACTACGGTCTGGCTATCCAGAACTACTGGGGTCAGGGTACCCTGGTTACCGTTTCCTCCGCCTCCACCAAGGGCCCATCTGTCTTCCCACTGGCCCCATGCTCCCGCAGCACCTCCGAGAGCACAGCCGCCCTGGGCTGCCTGGTCAAGGACTACTTCCCAGAACCTGTGACCGTGTCCTGGAACTCTGGCGCTCTGACCAGCGGCGTGCACACCTTCCCAGCTGTCCTGCAGTCCTCAGGTCTCTACTCCCTCAGCAGCGTGGTGACCGTGCCATCCAGCAACTTCGGCACCCAGACCTACACCTGCAACGTAGATCACAAGCCAAGCAACACCAAGGTCGACAAGACCGTGGAGAGAAAGTGTTGTGTGGAGTGTCCACCTTGTCCAGCCCCTCCAGTGGCCGGACCATCCGTGTTCCTGTTCCCTCCAAAGCCAAAGGACACCCTGATGATCTCCAGAACCCCAGAGGTGACCTGTGTGGTGGTGGACGTGTCCCACGAGGACCCAGAGGTGCAGTTCAACTGGTATGTGGACGGAGTGGAGGTGCACAACGCCAAGACCAAGCCAAGAGAGGAGCAGTTCAACTCCACCTTCAGAGTGGTGAGCGTGCTGACCGTGGTGCACCAGGACTGGCTGAACGGAAAGGAGTATAAGTGTAAGGTGTCCAACAAGGGACTGCCATCCAGCATCGAGAAGACCATCTCCAAGACCAAGGGACAGCCAAGAGAGCCACAGGTGTATACCCTGCCCCCATCCAGAGAGGAGATGACCAAGAACCAGGTGTCCCTGACCTGTCTGGTGAAGGGATTCTATCCATCCGACATCGCCGTGGAGTGGGAGTCCAACGGACAGCCAGAGAACAACTATAAGACCACCCCTCCAATGCTGGACTCCGACGGATCCTTCTTCCTGTATTCCAAGCTGACCGTGGACAAGTCCAGATGGCAGCAGGGAAACGTGTTCTCTTGTTCCGTGATGCACGAGGCCCTGCACAACCACTATACCCAGAAGAGCCTGTCCCTGTCTCCAGGAAAGTAA G1 light chain full antibody nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 14)GAAATCGTTCTGACCCAGTCCCCGGCTACCCTGTCCCTGTCCCCAGGTGAACGTGCTACCCTGTCCTGCAAAGCTTCCAAACGGGTTACCACCTACGTTTCCTGGTACCAGCAGAAACCCGGTCAGGCTCCTCGTCTGCTGATCTACGGTGCTTCCAACCGTTACCTCGGTATCCCAGCTCGTTTCTCCGGTTCCGGTTCCGGTACCGACTTCACCCTGACCATCTCCTCCCTGGAACCCGAAGACTTCGCTGTTTACTACTGCAGTCAGTCCTACAACTACCCCTACACCTTCGGTCAGGGTACCAAACTGGAAATCAAACGCACTGTGGCTGCACCATCTGTCTTCATCTTCCCTCCATCTGATGAGCAGTTGAAATCCGGAACTGCCTCTGTTGTGTGCCTGCTGAATAACTTCTATCCGCGCGAGGCCAAAGTACAGTGGAAGGTGGATAACGCCCTCCAATCCGGTAACTCCCAGGAGAGTGTCACAGAGCAGGACAGCAAGGACAGCACCTACAGCCTCAGCAGCACCCTGACCCTGAGCAAAGCAGACTACGAGAAACACAAAGTCTACGCCTGCGAAGTCACCCATCAGGGCCTGAGTTCTCCAGTCACAAAGAGCTTCAACCGCGGTGAGTGCTAA

Amino acid sequence comparison of human and rat CGRP (human α-CGRP (SEQID NO: 15); human β-CGRP (SEQ ID NO: 43); rat α-CGRP (SEQ ID NO: 41);and rat β-CGRP (SEQ ID NO: 44)):

We claim:
 1. A method for reducing incidence of or treating at least onevasomotor symptom in an individual, comprising administering to theindividual an effective amount of an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody,wherein said anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is a human monoclonalantibody or a humanized monoclonal antibody.
 2. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is: (a) an antibodyhaving a CDR H1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3; a CDR H2 as set forth inSEQ ID NO: 4; a CDR H3 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5; a CDR L1 as setforth in SEQ ID NO: 6; a CDR L2 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7; and a CDRL3 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8; or (b) a variant of an antibodyaccording to (a) as shown in Table
 6. 3. The method according to claim1, where said vasomotor symptom is selected from the group consisting ofhot flush, a migraine with or without aura, hemiplegic migraine, clusterheadache, migrainous neuralgia, chronic headache, and tension headache.4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the anti-CGRP antagonistantibody has a binding affinity (K_(D)) to human α-CGRP of 50 nM or lessas measured by surface plasmon resonance at 37° C.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the anti-CGRP antagonist antibodycomprises a V_(H) domain comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 and a V_(L) domaincomprising SEQ ID NO:
 2. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein theanti-CGRP antagonist antibody comprises a light chain produced by theexpression vector with ATCC Accession No. PTA-6866.
 7. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the anti-CGRP antagonist antibodycomprises a heavy chain produced by the expression vector with ATCCAccession No. PTA-6867.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein theindividual is human.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said vasomotorsymptom is a migraine.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said anti-CGRPantagonist antibody binds the C-terminal fragment having amino acids25-37 of CGRP or a C-terminal epitope within amino acids 25-37 of CGRP.11. The method of claim 1, wherein said anti-CGRP antagonist antibodycomprises an Fc region with an impaired effector function.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, wherein route of administration of said anti-CGRPantagonist antibody is selected from the group consisting ofsystemically, intravenously, subcutaneously, intramuscularly, andtransdermally.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said anti-CGRPantagonist antibody comprises a heavy chain constant region derived froma human IgG2 constant region.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein saidanti-CGRP antagonist antibody is formulated with a pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier, excipient, and/or stabilizer.
 15. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is a humanizedmonoclonal antibody.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the dose of saidanti-CGRP antagonist antibody is at least about 3 μg/kg.
 17. A methodfor reducing incidence of or treating headache in a human, comprisingadministering to the human an effective amount of an anti-CGRPantagonist antibody, wherein said anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is ahuman monoclonal antibody or a humanized monoclonal antibody.
 18. Themethod according to claim 17, wherein the anti-CGRP antagonist antibodyis: (a) an antibody having a CDR H1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3; a CDRH2 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4; a CDR H3 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5;a CDR L1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6; a CDR L2 as set forth in SEQ IDNO: 7; and a CDR L3 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8; or (b) a variant of anantibody according to (a) as shown in Table
 6. 19. The method accordingto claim 17, where said headache is a migraine with or without aura,hemiplegic migraine, cluster headache, migrainous neuralgia, chronicheadache, or tension headache.
 20. The method according to claim 17,wherein the anti-CGRP antagonist antibody has a binding affinity (K_(D))to human α-CGRP of 50 nM or less as measured by surface plasmonresonance at 37° C.
 21. The method according to claim 17, wherein theanti-CGRP antagonist antibody comprises a V_(H) domain comprising SEQ IDNO: 1 and a V_(L) domain comprising SEQ ID NO:
 2. 22. The methodaccording to claim 17, wherein the anti-CGRP antagonist antibodycomprises a light chain produced by the expression vector with ATCCAccession No. PTA-6866.
 23. The method according to claim 17, whereinthe anti-CGRP antagonist antibody comprises a heavy chain produced bythe expression vector with ATCC Accession No. PTA-6867.
 24. The methodof claim 17, wherein said headache is a migraine.
 25. The method ofclaim 17, wherein said anti-CGRP antagonist antibody binds theC-terminal fragment having amino acids 25-37 of CGRP or a C-terminalepitope within amino acids 25-37 of CGRP.
 26. The method of claim 17,wherein said anti-CGRP antagonist antibody comprises an Fc region withan impaired effector function.
 27. The method of claim 17, wherein routeof administration of said anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is selected fromthe group consisting of systemically, intravenously, subcutaneously,intramuscularly, and transdermally.
 28. The method of claim 17, whereinsaid anti-CGRP antagonist antibody comprises a heavy chain constantregion derived from a human IgG2 constant region.
 29. The method ofclaim 17, wherein said anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is formulated witha pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, excipient, and/or stabilizer. 30.The method of claim 17, wherein said anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is ahumanized monoclonal antibody.
 31. The method of claim 17, wherein thedose of said anti-CGRP antagonist antibody is at least about 3 μg/kg.